TAP A06-031

Multilingual Initiative-Limited English Proficiency Needs Assessment

Issue Statement:

IRS would like to receive grass-roots “frontline” feedback from Limited English Proficient (LEP) taxpayers regarding IRS MLI products and services.

Proposal:

The IRS should meet with key representatives of the four language groups to review with them the types of publications, brochures, and educational programs and seminars available.  The committee recommends that forms be available in all four languages, as is feasible.  We also recommend that IRS meet with representatives of Hamni Financial Corporation and NARA Bancorp.  Both organizations serve Asian customers, including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese speakers.  NARA Bank, owned by NARA Bancorp, advertises that it offers internet banking in the Korean language.  Similar institutions that service the Russian language community could be contacted.  For example, Brighton Beach is a neighborhood in New York where all the store signs are in the Russian language.

Response Notes:

The recommendations made by this committee would be included in the MLI Strategic Plan.