Dissemination of Statistical Products:

1. Dissemination of Statistical Products: The IRS’s Journey Martha Eller Gangi U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income Division ~May 13, 2008~

2. Outline of Presentation: • Taxonomy of the U.S. Statistical System, IRS and SOI • SOI Mission and History • Print and Web Dissemination • Current and Future Initiatives • Challenges Along the Journey • Conclusion and Contact Information

3. U.S. Statistical System:

4. U.S. Statistical System, Continued:

5. U.S. Statistical System, Continued:

6. U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS):

7. Statistics of Income Division (SOI):

8. Statistical Data Section, SOI’s Dissemination Team: • 4 Visual Design Specialists, including Webmaster • 1 Writer/Editor • 1 Publishing Coordinator

9. Statistical Information Services (SIS): • A team of 4 economists and statisticians who are available to answer questions from all SOI customers, including media and the public. • Receives and answers phone calls, faxes and e-mail requests, as well as requests via Tax Stats and IRS On-Line Help Desk. • Responds to about 2,000 customer requests per calendar year.

10. SOI Mission and History: • The Revenue Act of 1916 requires the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury to publish statistics on the operations of the tax system, at least annually. • SOI satisfies this mandate by collecting, processing, analyzing and disseminating data and information on federal taxation. • First print report published in 1918.

11. Dissemination via SOI Bulletin, 1981:

12. Dissemination via SOI Bulletin, Today: Total Distribution = 800-900 Print Copies: • About 275 copies to SOI • About 280 on intra-agency distribution list • About 300 to Government Printing Office for libraries and sales • About 15 to Library of Congress

13. Other SOI Publications: • IRS Data Book • The IRS annual report • IRS Research Bulletin • Compilation of papers given at the annual IRS Research Conference • SOI Paper Series • Research presented at professional conferences • SOI Individual Income Tax Returns • SOI Corporation Income Tax Returns • SOI Corporation Source Book

14. Tax Stats Web Site, www.irs.gov/taxstats:

15. Tax Stats Web Site, Continued: • Today, offers more than 7,600 publications, statistical files and tables. • Site averages between 300,000 and 400,000 downloads per month. • Nearly 12,000 subscribers to email dispatch system.

16. Current and Future Initiatives: • Introduced SOI Paper Series. • Continue to encourage short articles on current topics. • Introduce information-layering project. • Continue to work toward full compliance with accessibility standards. • Implement “dynamic tables” application. • Create web pages for children, students and teachers. • Expand availability of metadata and use of hyperlinks.

17. Information- Layering Project: Background and links Data highlights Simple graphs and charts

18. Links to Microsoft Excel Versions of Tables: Link

19. Challenges Along the Journey: • Change of mindset • Shift to new practices and dissemination processes • Restrictions on web utilization by parent site, irs.gov • Making accessibility integral to work • Anticipating the needs of customers, print vs. web • Small dissemination team

20. Conclusion and Contact Information: • Dissemination/communication of data is always a journey. • SOI will continue to pursue its historic mandate with excitement. Martha.E.Gangi@irs.gov (202) 874-0457 sis@irs.gov (Statistical Information Services) www.irs.gov/taxstats