Tax season is officially underway. Erin Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate, explains that the IRS is beginning this tax season under significant strain and filing taxes this year could be a little more chaotic than usual. Taxpayers should be extra careful.
Why this season is different
- The IRS is operating with 27% fewer employees, and its IT workforce is down 16%.
- There are 100+ new OBBA tax law changes – many are retroactive and complex.
- Despite approval to hire 2,200 seasonal workers; around 50 were onboarded by the end of 2025. The training period is about 80 days.
The backlog problem
- In 2025, taxpayers made about 104 million calls, but only about 30 million were answered – meaning 3 out 4 callers never reached a human.
- The IRS is still processing tens of millions of paper returns and letters.
- Over and above are the amended returns. The IRS started the season with over 500,000 amended returns and 300,000 paper returns already in inventory – 129% above pre-pandemic levels. And that doesn’t even include business returns!
- Amended returns can take 5 months (individual) or 13 months (business) to resolve.
What to do
This is not the year to rush! Accuracy matters more than speed:
- Don’t file until you have all your documents and you’ve double checked everything.
- Paper refund checks are being phased out – use direct deposit! Missing banking information creates complications and can delay refunds by up to six weeks.
- Ignore social-media “tax hacks” and be cautious using AI tools.
- Get professional help if things get complicated.
The good news is that the new tax law changes are generally favorable for most taxpayers. It’s unfortunate that the IRS is overwhelmed and understaffed. So, file carefully, expect delays, and be kind to your IRS agent and your tax preparer. They have a lot to manage this year.
Happy filing!
Barbara
Feb 1, 2026
Sources:
Why 2026 Tax Season May Be More Stressful Than Last Year
www.forbes.com/sites/tax-breaks/2026/01/31/tax-breaks-the-tax-season-with-all-the-numbers-edition/
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