Customer Account Data Engine
The Customer Database Access Engine(CADE) is a system being currently being developed by the Wage and Investment division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The purpose of the new system is to replace the current IRS processing and database system the IRS has been using since 1969. The new system will provide superior security, advanced processing techniques, and ultimately replace IRS master files[1].
Development of CADE
Development of CADE was first discussed in 2000 in the IRS Modernization Plan. The original operational date was set at Nov 1st 2006. Programing and development began in 2003 but actual processing on the system was delayed until 2005.[2]. The system initially only processed 1040EZ returns, the simplest type of electronic tax returns. In 2006 the capacity was increased for the system to being processing a limited number of more complex 1040 forms and other support forms. In 2007 the system began to process schedule C forms and other more complex tax forms.
Because the system is still unable to handle the full load of IRS tax returns a hybrid approach is used by the IRS with the overwhelming majority of tax returns still being processed with the old system. Current processing loads and returns done by CADE are used to determine the systems functionality.
The system, although beset by regular set backs due to funding, is expected to be fully operations by 2012.
The basic funtionality of CADE included:
- Non-Return Based Address Change
- SCREF Interface (From DCUT through deployment)
- Married Filing Jointly & Separately without dependents (Married Once) (From DCUT through deployment)
- “Clean” Dependents (From DCUT through deployment)
- Head-of-Household without Dependents or with “Clean” Dependents
- Annual Archiving
- Incremental Update of LAFF from LAFFOL (From DCUT through deployment)
- Limited Name Change on Return
- 1040 Schedules A, B, and R
- 1040A Schedules 1, and 3
- Filing Season Changes
- Outbound Social Security Administration (SSA) Interface
- Census Bureau Interface
- Make FFMSR certification Current
- EA version 2.5 Compliance
- 1040 Schedules C, E, F w/o EIN their supporting forms, including Sch. SE
- 1040 Schedule D and its supporting forms
- SET Req #73: Reuse CPE 460-02 load module to populate LRFF (Option 1)
- Updated ISA with FMS
Benefits of CADE
CADE will offer many benefits to the public and the IRS. Foremost among these is the speed in which it can process tax returns. Under the current system processing tax returns can take as long as one week and customers have to wait between 14-35 days for the IRS to deposit their refund or mail them a check. Under the CADE processing will be complete generally within 24 hours and deposits issued within 48-72 hours.
CADE will also be capable of superiors security and fraud protection mechanisms by being able to more easily detect errors and inconsistencies in tax returns. The system will also provide superior in -house functionality for the IRS in access information, reports, compliance issues, notices, and revenue accounting. The system also provides superior internal secruity with:
- Logon UserID
- Logon Terminal ID
- Password Change Including UserID
- Password Change including Terminal ID
- File Create including file name
- File Delete including file name
- File Open including file name
- Time/Date Stamping
- RACF Security Monitoring (at the MITS GSS-21 level)
- RACF for DB2 Security Monitoring (CADE related DB2 events captured by RACF)
- DB2 Transaction logging (CADE DB2 subsystem events monitored by DB2)
- CADE Subsystem logging (Application logging for CADE subsystem events).