WASHINGTON (AP) — Taxpayers seeking assistance from the IRS during this tax filing season may encounter difficulties reaching a live person on the phone, experts warn. This problem is expected to worsen next year due to anticipated staff reductions that could significantly reduce the workforce.
Current data on tax return processing times for this year shows similar numbers to last year. IRS employees involved in the 2025 tax season were not permitted to accept buyout offers from the Trump administration until after the April 15 filing deadline, although thousands of probationary workers were laid off earlier in the year.
Legal experts specializing in tax compliance predict that the prolonged wait times will escalate as more buyouts and layoffs are implemented. Eric Santos, the executive director of the Georgia Tax Clinic, notes that wait times for the IRS phone line are unusually long, with overwhelmed staff struggling to handle the increased workload.
The reduction in workforce, potentially up to half of the total IRS employees, is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce through the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. This includes agency closures, layoffs of probationary employees, and offering buyouts to federal workers through a “deferred resignation program.”
Recent layoffs by the IRS may result in up to 20,000 staff reductions, around 25% of the workforce. While a federal judge ordered the reinstatement of about 7,000 probationary IRS workers laid off earlier this year, it remains uncertain if they have returned to work.
Comparing statistics from the first week of April in 2024 and 2025, this year saw 101.4 million returns processed compared to 101.8 million the previous year. Refunds have increased, with 67.7 million issued this year compared to 66.7 million in 2024.
However, concerns are raised about the impact on the 2026 filing season due to the expected loss of additional tax collection workers through planned layoffs and buyouts. The potential strain on the IRS’s ability to manage next year’s tax season is a significant worry for experts like Eric Santos.
A Treasury spokesperson, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, stated that IRS staffing reductions are part of broader efforts to enhance efficiency and service quality. Sakinah Tillman, director of the University of the District of Columbia Tax Clinic, highlights delays in reaching the IRS by phone, particularly affecting clients in collections trying to resolve debts.
Former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen emphasized that even in a typical year, IRS responsiveness diminishes as the tax season progresses. With anticipated employee cuts next year, there are concerns about the agency’s ability to effectively handle the workload.
“I am going back to extremely poor taxpayer service over the phone,” he remarked. “The taxpayer priority line will soon be a contradiction in terms.”
