The IRS lost 31% of its revenue agents and 18% of its revenue officers through March of this year, according to a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The losses could significantly impair the IRS’s ability to identify and go after tax dodgers: Revenue agents examine tax returns for possible violations, and revenue officers collect delinquent taxes. The IRS also lost 10% of its tax examiners, the front-line workers who process tax returns, and 10% of its customer service personnel in that same period, the report showed. The TIGTA report examined the effects of the first few rounds of DOGE buyouts and job cuts on the IRS. All told, the agency lost around 11,000 people, or about 11% of its workforce, through March. At least 7,315 probationary employees were fired in January, and 4,128 staffers took deferred resignations within the first three months of the year, TIGTA found. These job cuts affected some of the IRS’s business units more than others. Its tax exempt and government entities unit was hardest-hit percentage-wise, losing 694 people, or slightly less than a third of its workforce (31%). Its large business and international unit lost 1,733 employees, or 25% of its workforce, and its small business/self employed unit lost 5,765 personnel, or 23% of its workforce. Taxpayer services lost 4% of its personnel, or 1,714 people. Legislation is pending that could reverse some of the job cuts, though the Supreme Court paused a ruling by federal courts that would require agencies to rehire fired probationary workers. For more on the impact of DOGE cuts on the IRS, click here.—CV |