The IRS has accepted its one millionth taxpayer submission using the Document Upload Tool. The tool gives taxpayers and tax professionals the option to respond digitally to specific IRS notices by securely uploading required documents online through IRS.gov.
The Document Upload Tool was launched in 2021 in a limited format. It has since been expanded thanks to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act—in early 2023, the IRS grew the program to include nine of the CP series notices:
- CP04, relating to combat zone status.
- CP05A, information request related to a refund.
- CP06 and CP06A, relating to the Premium Tax Credit.
- CP08, relating to the Child Tax Credit.
- CP09, relating to claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- CP75, relating to the EITC.
- CP75A, relating to the EITC.
- CP75D, relating to the EITC and other credits.
During the first six months of this fiscal year, more than 265,000 taxpayers used the tool.
How It Works
The IRS Document Upload Tool enables digital correspondence with the taxpayer by providing a URL and a time-limited unique access code to a specific taxpayer so they can upload their documents to the IRS. Access originates with the IRS and isn't available for specific documents, such as those requiring physical signatures.
If your notice is eligible, you'll see language advising you to "Send us your documents using the Documentation Upload Tool within 30 days from the date of this notice." The notice would also include a link and a unique access code. You can open the link in any browser and then input the 10-digit unique code, your first and last name, and your Social Security number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or Employee Identification Number (EIN).
Finally, you can securely upload scans, photos, or digital copies of documents in JPEG, PNG, or PDF format. You can upload a maximum of 40 files with a file size of 15 MB per file.
After you upload the documents, you'll receive a confirmation from the IRS. Your documents will be available to the IRS employee assigned to the case and remain available indefinitely until the employee retrieves them, at which time they're archived for 180 days and then deleted from the system.
Progress
"The Document Upload Tool is a key part of our ambitious initiative to transform the IRS into a virtually paperless agency, and we continue to see increased use of this by taxpayers," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "This tool saves time for taxpayers and helps IRS employees process responses faster and more efficiently. A growing number of taxpayers are using their smart phones or computers to scan and upload their responses to IRS correspondence, rather than the more time-consuming option of writing a letter or mailing in documents."
How fast is it growing? Since 2022, the average monthly use of the tool has more than doubled every year.
The IRS receives about 76 million paper tax returns and forms and 125 million pieces of correspondence, notice responses, and non-tax forms each year. The IRS estimates that more than 94% of individual taxpayers will have the option of no longer having to send mail to the IRS, potentially replacing up to 125 million paper documents per year.
Accolades
The IRS team of leaders overseeing the tool's expansion is now a finalist for the 2024 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. The team, which includes Darnita Trower (Director, Emerging Programs and Initiatives), Wanda Brown (Project Director, Digital Services and Digitalization, Wage and Investment), and Gerald Johnson (Information Technology Specialist), is nominated for the Management Excellence Award.
Trower, an IT expert who managed the overall implementation effort, said that making the new system work was a "huge undertaking." Brown, who said staff had to "fundamentally reimagine the way they work," oversaw the process redesign effort. Johnson, the team's technical guru, makes sure the technology continues to work smoothly.
"The speed of delivery was remarkable. This was complex work, complex follow-up and complex reengineering that occurred way ahead of schedule," said Jeff Tribiano, the IRS' deputy commissioner for operations.
IRS Chief Technology Officer Pandya Kaschit has called the team's work a "huge win for taxpayers," while Ken Corbin, the agency's chief taxpayer experience officer, credited the trio with enabling a "huge leap in service" that will make it easier for the IRS to resolve issues and, in some cases, process tax refunds.
Werfel said the team has "set the foundation for a fully digital experience that is ready to meet the next generation of taxpayers."
The group is currently expanding the new digital system to small businesses, corporations, and government entities. Its goals include digitizing up to 1 billion historical documents, leading to lower storage costs and easier access to tax data. Additionally, electronically processing all paper-filed tax returns will cut processing times in half and expedite taxpayer refunds by several weeks.
Known as the Sammies, the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals are considered the "Oscars" of public service. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., in the fall and honored during a television and online special.
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