Overview
- Frank Bisignano will continue as Social Security commissioner while serving as the IRS’s first CEO and will report to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who remains acting IRS commissioner.
- The Treasury said Bisignano will oversee all daily IRS operations, a responsibility traditionally associated with the commissioner’s office at a tax agency that has cycled through multiple leaders this year.
- Whether the new position requires Senate confirmation is uncertain, with the Associated Press noting it is unclear and several outlets reporting the role does not require confirmation.
- Policy and watchdog voices questioned divided attention, statutory authority for delegating day-to-day control, and potential privacy risks as one official now leads both the IRS and SSA after prior data-sharing controversies.
- The appointment comes as the IRS faces 17% to 19% workforce losses in key functions and must implement the One Big Beautiful Bill’s tax changes before the 2026 filing season, a risk flagged by the agency’s inspector general.