'Setting this agency up for failure': IRS Staffing Crunch

The Satellite
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As someone who deals with the IRS professionally, and has for the last 10 years, this does not make me very optimistic. I have absolutely talked to people at the IRS in the past who didn’t know what they were doing or the law, generally they were just undertrained and inexperienced (though sometimes also idiots). However, I believe those people were hired for the roles they were in. This seems different but may give similar results.

If you’re dealing with an IRS problem, and your tax professional or lawyer can’t seem to get a resolution - this is why. Please give your tax professionals a break, as this is what we will be dealing with.

My recommendations, make sure you electronically file anything you can. Make electronic payments too (although that is required now in most cases). Always give tax notices to your tax professional when you receive them, give them all the pages (front & back) even if you think the page is meaningless. Oh, and plan on long processing times for resolution to tax issues, amendments (even when efiled), or other refund claims outside of your regularly filed return.

2 Likes
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Nothing new. Having gone through several audits (and getting “good” letters on all) I can attest that in the 80’s and 90’s the irs never has hired the best and finest auditors in the world.

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Very good advice. Do what you can electronically but keep the paper!

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That might be good for taxpayers, but the issue here is the front line call centers. Such as the people you call to resolve issues that might be affecting your refund, that will not be good for taxpayers.

Just from experience on my own tax return, which mirrors experience I had with client tax returns), in 2021 or 2022 (I foget which), it took the IRS over a year to process my amended tax return that was electronically filed before I got my refund. It wasn’t anything complicated in my amendment either and my refund was between $1-2k. Just think if you’re expecting a refund of 5 or more figures.

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By the way, for those of you who are mailing your tax returns or payments. Be aware of this change in how the IRS veiws the postmark date as this could affect if your return/payment is late or timely.

Make sure that anything you take to the post office near or on the deadline is given the manual postmark stamp for that date.

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I love how taxpayer friendly this new system is. /s

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I had a recent issue with my quarterly payment. Sent the check in a timely manner. It was never cashed after over a month. We cancelled the check and sent a new check. Then got a love note from the IRS about cancelling a check, LOL.

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Yes, sounds typical. I assume they are trying to penalize you for that as well.

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No, they were actually cool about it

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Occasionally there are bright spots with the IRS. Though had you been dealing with someone inexperienced, like the people pulled from HR and IT, it might have been a bigger pain.

There are absolutely some very competent people there who are easy to deal with. Unfortunately it’s the luck of the draw on who you might get for any particular call or issue.

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Any bureaucracy is like that.