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2mo ago

Trump Administration Proposes Halving IRS Workforce

The plan to reduce the IRS staff by up to 50% raises concerns about tax enforcement, refunds, and federal revenue collection.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 20: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Building is seen on February 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Internal Revenue Service will begin laying off roughly 6,000 employees in the middle of tax season as the Trump administration pushes to downsize the federal workforce through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by TASOS KATOPODIS / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
A sign on the Internal Revenue Service building in seen on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
The sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building is seen in May 2021 in Washington, DC.

Overview

  • The IRS is drafting plans to cut up to 45,000 employees, reducing its workforce by half through layoffs, attrition, and incentivized buyouts.
  • The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, is spearheading efforts to downsize federal agencies, including the IRS.
  • Critics, including former IRS commissioners, warn that the cuts could render the agency dysfunctional, impacting tax enforcement, audit rates, and refund processing for over 160 million taxpayers.
  • Some IRS employees may be reassigned to the Department of Homeland Security to support immigration enforcement efforts, as requested by DHS leadership.
  • The potential workforce reduction comes during tax season, raising concerns about delays in tax refunds and the broader implications for federal revenue collection and deficit reduction.