03/25/2026
If you are dealing with the IRS right now, professional assistance may matter more than usual.
Recent reporting indicates the IRS has been reassigning employees without direct tax experience into filing-season support roles while dealing with staffing shortages and training limitations. Oversight findings have also warned of service delays and processing issues going into the 2026 filing season.
What prompted this post was a recent tax resolution matter I was handling for a new client.
I called the IRS to obtain basic information about the overall account status. The first representative asked for information that was not necessary for the issue at hand and would not allow me to move forward. As a result, I was unable to get the information I needed on that call.
That meant wasted time, another disconnect, and another long hold just to reach a second representative who was able to provide the assistance that should have been given the first time.
This is not a criticism of new employees. Everyone starts somewhere.
But when an agency as complex as the IRS loses experienced staff and pushes people into taxpayer-facing roles before they are fully prepared, taxpayers can end up paying the price through delays, confusion, inconsistent answers, and costly mistakes. TIGTA reported that key filing-season inventories had risen to about 2.0 million by December 2025 and that the IRS reduced its telephone service goal for 2026 to 70% from 85% in 2025.
If you are dealing with the IRS, do not assume the first answer is always the complete or correct answer.
Ask questions. Document everything. And when real money, deadlines, or enforcement risk are involved, get experienced representation.
If you need help dealing with the IRS, message me.