IRS reduces tax return backlog by 80% and is doing better job answering the phone
1 year, 6 months ago

IRS reduces tax return backlog by 80% and is doing better job answering the phone

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The IRS has processed tens of millions of tax returns faster this year compared with past years while getting through to customer service on the phone is slowly improving, according to a report to Congress released Wednesday. The latest update on the IRS from National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins said the agency cut its backlog of unprocessed paper tax returns by 80%, from 13.3 million returns at the end of the 2022 filing season to 2.6 million at the end of the 2023 filing season. “It marks a return to pre-pandemic levels.” Through the climate, health care and tax legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden last year, the IRS received $80 billion for tax collection efforts. With fewer workers to answer identity theft calls, the IRS is “causing harm to taxpayers who were victims of identity theft.” There are other nontax issues caused by identity theft that may take even longer to resolve, the report said.

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For IRS, backlogs and identity theft problems remain, but there is ‘cautious optimism’ watchdog says
11 months, 1 week ago

For IRS, backlogs and identity theft problems remain, but there is ‘cautious optimism’ watchdog says

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The IRS is still too slow in processing amended tax returns, answering taxpayer phone calls and resolving identity theft cases, according to an independent watchdog within the agency. While there is “cautious optimism” for an agency that has excavated itself from tens of millions of backlogged tax returns with new federal funding, the report states “the IRS has …

IRS erases last season’s backlog, but still faces 2022 crush
2 years, 6 months ago

IRS erases last season’s backlog, but still faces 2022 crush

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service said Tuesday that it will have erased its backlog of last season’s tax returns by the end of this week. And with 143 million returns from this year’s tax season processed so far, agency officials say there’s a greater likelihood of being caught up on processing all returns by the end of this year. …

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