US EditionThe 10 Most Serious Problems Taxpayers Have With The IRS
- On Jan. 28, 2026, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins warned the IRS faces a 27% workforce reduction and leadership turnover entering the 2026 filing season.
- Launching a `zero paper` initiative, the Internal Revenue Service contracted private contractors , but the report warned against cutting submission-processing employees before validating technology.
- More than 100 million calls came in fiscal 2025, about 30 million were answered and about 35 million were routed to voicebots, while customer-service representatives shrank by 22%.
- The IRS is phasing out paper refund checks this season, and Collins warned refunds may be held up to six weeks without direct-deposit information; the DOE announced a delay to involuntary student-loan collections on Jan. 16.
- Complex 2025 tax-law changes will require major IRS programming and guidance, and Collins wrote that success depends on assisting the millions who experience problems with more than 165 million returns last year and average refund $3,167.
13 Articles
13 Articles
National Taxpayer Advocate pins some IRS modernization blame on procurement hurdles
Slow-moving modernization and digitization efforts at the IRS continue to plague filers, the National Taxpayer Advocate said Wednesday in its annual report to Congress, pointing specifically to federal procurement roadblocks that are hindering the agency’s attempted shift away from paper-based returns. The IRS’s IT issues — named one of the tax agency’s 10 most serious problems facing taxpayers — have endured despite “meaningful investments and …
IRS faces stiff challenges in 2026 tax season
The national taxpayer advocate says the 2026 tax filing season is likely to face significant challenges due to IRS workforce reductions and complex tax law changes. National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins released her annual report to Congress on Wednesday,…
IRS faces stiff challenges in 2026 tax season due to workforce cuts and new laws, watchdog says
WASHINGTON — The national taxpayer advocate cautioned that the 2026 tax filing season is likely to present challenges for taxpayers who encounter problems with filing given the exodus of IRS workers since the start of the Trump administration.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
