IRS Reportedly Cutting Thousands of Workers Ahead of Tax Season
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is set to lay off thousands of probationary workers as tax season gets underway, according to reports from The Associated Press. This decision comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s directive to dismiss most probationary employees who have not secured civil service protection. Although the exact number of layoffs has yet to be confirmed, it is expected to have a significant impact on hundreds of thousands of people.
Trump’s Order to Cut Federal Workforce
In addition to the probationary cuts, President Donald Trump issued an order on January 29th stating that federal employees would be fired if they did not return to in-person work by early February. As part of cost-cutting measures, a buyout offer has been extended, and approximately 65,000 employees have already accepted it. However, IRS employees involved in the 2025 tax season, which began on January 27th, are not eligible for the buyout until after the taxpayer filing deadline.
DOGE’s Mission to Reduce Federal Spending
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), responsible for eliminating wasteful government spending and increasing efficiency, aims to cut $2 trillion from the federal government budget by eliminating programs and reducing the federal workforce. This initiative aligns with the IRS’s efforts to continue the success of the previous tax filing seasons with additional resources.
Focus on Middle-Class Americans
The Biden administration’s Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act allocated $80 billion to hire 87,000 new IRS agents, with a specific focus on targeting middle-class Americans. According to a report from the House Oversight Committee, this funding was intended to improve service levels and reduce wait times. Previous filing seasons saw service levels at around 85% and wait times averaging less than 5 minutes on the main phone lines. The IRS also expanded its taxpayer assistance centers nationwide to serve a larger number of taxpayers.
Investment in the Nation’s Tax System
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel expressed optimism about the improvements made so far, stating that additional tools and features will be introduced to assist taxpayers during this tax season. However, Werfel also emphasized that there is more to be done and called for continued investment in the nation’s tax system. The IRS expects to receive over 140 million tax returns this year.
Response from IRS and Department of Treasury
As of now, the IRS and Department of Treasury have not responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. Further updates on the situation are awaited.
