Joint statistical meetings - Some Observations and Insights

Statistics of Income Bulletin, Summer, 2003

On August 6, SOI Director Tom Petska and his SOI colleagues, Diane Dixon, Beth Kilss, Ellen Legel, and Pete Sailer, all presented papers in the same contributed paper session, "New Developments in Tax Statistics and Administrative Records Research," at the Joint Statistical Meetings in San Francisco. Frank Potter, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., chaired the session.

Peter Sailer, Individual Statistics Branch, presented "Accumulation and Distribution of Retirement Assets, 1996-2000--Results from a Matched File of Tax Returns and Information Returns," co-authored with Kurt Gurka, Individual Statistics Branch, and Sarah A. Holden, Investment Company Institute.

Ellen Legel, Corporation Statistics Branch, presented "The Effects of Tax Reform on the Structure of U.S. Business," co-authored with Kelly Bennett, Corporation Statistics Branch, and Michael Parisi, Individual Statistics Branch.

Beth Kilss presented "Statistical Information Services at IRS: Improving Dissemination of Data and Satisfying the Customer," co-authored with David Jordan, both of whom are with the Special Studies Branch.

Diane Dixon, Statistical Computing Branch, presented "IRS Seeks to Develop New Web-Based Measurement Indicators for IRS.GOV."

Tom Petska presented "Recent Efforts To Maximize Benefits from the Statistics of Income Advisory Panel," co-authored with Beth Kilss, Special Studies Branch.

In other sessions, Michael Strudler, Individual Statistics Branch, presented "An Analysis of the Distribution of Individual Income and Taxes," co-authored with Tom Petska and Ryan Petska of Ernst and Young. This paper used Individual SOI data for 1979-2001 to show how income and income tax share have been changing over time. It was given as part of a session on income concepts, taxes, and shares over time that was organized by Tom Petska and chaired by former SOI Director Fritz Scheuren. IRS Research Director Eric Toder and Bob Carroll, currently with the Congressional Budget Office, presented critiques, with over 100 people in the audience.

Paul McMahon, Statistical Computing Branch, presented a paper entitled "Regulatory Exemptions and Item Non-Response" in a session on Survey Imputation. Nick Greenia, SOI Director's Office staff, presented a paper entitled "The Release of IRS Data: Challenges and New Approaches." He also chaired a session on "Strategies for Addressing Issues Related to the Use of Administrative Records for Statistical Research."

Chih-Chin Ho, Research Division, and Bill Wong, Individual Statistics Branch, jointly presented their research on "Comparing Scoring Systems From Cluster Analysis and Discriminant Analysis Using Random Samples." Their research used 1988 Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program data to analyze alternative cluster analysis and discriminant analysis methods of scoring individual returns to determine whom to audit.

The SOI Division also sent its portable display for use in advertising SOI products and services in the Exhibit Hall of the Joint Statistical Meetings. SOI staff did double duty during the conference as presenters and goodwill ambassadors for SOI. The SOI booth proved to be an excellent opportunity for SOI staff to talk to other conference attendees and answer questions about SOI, its purpose, and its data. In fact, many who stopped by the booth asked for more information, which was sent to them by the Statistical Information Services office following the conference.