Listen to the article
The Internal Revenue Service announced that the 2026 tax filing season will officially begin on January 26, when the agency starts accepting and processing tax returns for the 2025 tax year. Taxpayers will have until the standard April 15 deadline to file their returns to avoid penalties and interest.
The upcoming tax season arrives amid significant changes at the IRS, including substantial workforce reductions and the implementation of new tax legislation. Tax experts have expressed concerns about the agency’s capacity to handle the filing season efficiently following the departure of tens of thousands of tax collection workers through planned layoffs and buyouts initiated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Since the end of the Biden administration, the IRS workforce has dropped dramatically from 102,113 employees to 75,702, representing a 26% reduction, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate report published in June. This substantial decrease in personnel comes at a challenging time for the agency, which must now implement major provisions of the Republican tax and spending package signed into law last summer.
Frank Bisignano, who was appointed as IRS Chief Executive Officer in October and also serves as commissioner of the Social Security Administration, sought to reassure the public about the agency’s readiness. “The IRS workforce remains vigilant and dedicated to their mission to serve the American taxpaying public,” Bisignano said. “IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws and are ready to efficiently and effectively process taxpayer returns during the filing season.”
The IRS anticipates receiving approximately 164 million individual income tax returns this season, comparable to last year’s volume. According to agency data, taxpayers received an average refund of $3,167 during the previous filing period.
Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent expressed confidence in the agency’s preparations, stating, “President Trump is committed to the taxpayers of this country and improving upon the successful tax filing season in 2025. I am confident in our ability to deliver results and drive growth for businesses and consumers alike.” Bessent has repeatedly claimed that the effects of the Republican tax law will result in larger tax refunds for Americans in 2026.
The implementation of the tax law presents additional complexities for the upcoming filing season. Several provisions in the legislation retroactively affect the 2025 tax year, which will likely generate more questions from taxpayers and require the IRS to update numerous tax forms accordingly.
The workforce reduction has been carefully timed to minimize disruption to taxpayer services. IRS employees involved in processing returns during the 2025 tax season were not permitted to accept buyout offers from the Trump administration until after the April 15, 2025 filing deadline had passed.
Despite these preparations, Erin M. Collins, who leads the National Taxpayer Advocate organization responsible for protecting taxpayers’ rights, has issued warnings about potential challenges ahead. “With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year’s filing season,” Collins noted in her June report to Congress.
The upcoming tax season will serve as a critical test of the IRS’s ability to maintain service standards amid substantial organizational changes and new tax policy implementation, with millions of American taxpayers depending on the agency’s performance during this transition period.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
10 Comments
Interesting to see how the IRS workforce changes will impact the 2026 tax filing season. I wonder if the new tax legislation will add to the complexity and workload as well.
Yes, it seems like a challenging time for the IRS with the workforce reductions and new tax laws to implement. Curious to see how they handle the increased workload.
The early tax filing date of January 26th this year is quite unusual. I imagine it will create a rush for some taxpayers to get their returns in on time.
Indeed, the earlier start date could be tricky for some filers. The IRS will need to be well-prepared to handle the influx of returns in a timely manner.
The new tax and spending package signed into law last summer adds another layer of complexity. I hope the IRS is able to implement the changes smoothly.
Agreed, the new legislation will likely create additional challenges for the IRS during the upcoming tax season. Taxpayers may need to be patient as the agency works through the changes.
The 26% reduction in IRS staff since the end of the Biden administration is quite significant. I wonder how that will impact customer service and processing times for taxpayers.
That’s a substantial drop in personnel. The IRS will certainly have their work cut out for them trying to maintain efficiency with fewer resources.
It will be interesting to see how the appointment of Frank Bisignano as the new IRS Chief impacts the agency’s operations and preparedness for the 2026 filing season.
Yes, the leadership change could bring a fresh perspective. Hopefully Bisignano is able to navigate the IRS through this transitional period effectively.