Stuck Waiting on the IRS? You’re Not Alone

What is going on with the IRS – and why does everything seem to be taking so long? If you’ve been waiting on a refund, trying to reach an agent, or dealing with unexpected notices, you’re not alone. Since the pandemic shutdowns began in 2020, IRS service has taken a noticeable hit, and a mix of staffing cuts, budget challenges, and ongoing disruptions has made a slow system even slower.

The IRS is trying to juggle a lot at once. Staff are working through a backlog from the pandemic while also keeping up with current filings. On top of that, they’re dealing with new fraud prevention efforts and frequent tax law changes. It’s a tough balancing act, which often results in long delays.

You may have already run into one of the more common slowdowns: identity verification. The IRS is asking more taxpayers to confirm their identity before processing returns. While this helps prevent fraud, it can significantly delay refunds. It often takes multiple steps to resolve, and the back-and-forth can stretch out for weeks or longer.

Recent tax law changes haven’t helped. Some taxpayers – like those who received PG&E Fire Victims’ Trust settlements or claimed Research and Experimentation expenses after 2021 – have had to file amended returns because Congress changed the rules after the fact. That means more paperwork for taxpayers and more processing for an already overburdened IRS.

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in 2021, allocated funds intended to recruit as many as 87,000 new IRS agents. If the plan had been fully implemented it could have helped with backlogs and processing times. However, that effort was cut short beginning in 2025, and current policies have focused more on reducing staff through hiring freezes and early retirements. As a result, the IRS now has fewer people – and in some cases, less experienced people – handling more work.

Meanwhile, new tax laws continue to roll out, requiring system updates and retraining. For example, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) passed last year substantially changed the tax laws, requiring adjustments to IRS software and retraining of staff.  Not surprisingly, taxpayer confusion has increased, so they’re calling the IRS more often, resulting in jammed phone lines. Even routine questions can take a lot longer to resolve.

The IRS has also leaned more heavily on automation. That can speed things up in some cases, but it has also led to more errors. We’re seeing patterns of incorrect notices going out, which then creates more work for everyone – IRS employees and taxpayers alike – just to fix avoidable mistakes.

There are a few simple steps you can take to avoid unnecessary delays:

1. Get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) and share it with your preparer. This can help you avoid identity verification issues.
2. Use direct deposit for refunds – it’s much faster than waiting for a check.
3. Pay taxes online through the IRS website, and double-check that you’re applying payments to the correct year and type of tax.
4. Make sure you report all income. If you’re missing a W-2 or 1099, check with the issuer before filing. Mismatches can trigger IRS notices – or even an audit! – and slow everything down.
5. Don’t ignore IRS letters. They don’t go away on their own, and waiting too long can limit your options – even if the notice turns out to be wrong.  Unlike fine wine, tax notices do not age well.

Bottom line: the system is under strain right now. IRS employees are doing what they can, but the combination of backlog, staffing issues, and constant changes has made things slower across the board. For now, a little extra patience – and some proactive steps – can go a long way.

If you do run into issues, you don’t have to handle them on your own. At DBMCPA, we can step in and deal directly with the IRS on your behalf. We use the Tax Practitioner Priority Service line to reach the right people more efficiently, and we often know exactly which IRS unit to contact to resolve specific issues. Most importantly, we take that burden off your plate so you can focus on your work, your family, and your life instead of spending hours trying to get through to the IRS.