WASHINGTON — Retired IRS managers are sounding the alarm on workforce turmoil at the agency as a result of President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans pushing to slash employees and funding. 

What You Need To Know

  • About 7,000 probationary employees have been laid off from the IRS under the Trump administration.

  • The Professional Managers Association, created by former IRS managers, warns that while the short-term impacts are expected to be minimal for most filers, more cuts will have impacts on those with complicated filings or extensions beyond the normal season. 

  • Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration last week asking for an evaluation of reductions. 

The Professional Managers Association, created by former IRS managers, warns that while the short-term impacts are expected to be minimal for most filers, more cuts will have impacts on those with complicated filings or extensions beyond the normal season. 

"A lot of things go on, including extension of filings in August and October, but also returns that are filed before April 15th," said former IRS manager Jeff Eppler, who retired in 2023 after serving the agency for 43 years.

"Unless your return comes in, it's accepted as filed, and it's ... you're done with it for the next year. Anybody else is going to have real difficulties after May getting a hold of somebody and that that's going to be an issue," said former IRS manager Donald Dick who retired in December 2024 after serving the agency for 42 years. 

The Associated Press reports that “IRS employees involved in the 2025 tax season” will need to wait until mid-May to accept deferred resignation payment buyouts, but that further plans to shrink the workforce are being drafted. Spectrum News reached out to the IRS to inquire about workforce reductions, but has not yet received a response. 

Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration last week saying: “We ask that you conduct an evaluation of the Trump Administration’s decision to fire nearly 7,000 IRS employees and close over 100 IRS offices — and potentially many more — and determine (1) whether it undermines progress the IRS has made in the past three years to enhance its collection and enforcement practices and provide American taxpayers with an improved service experience.”

In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which directed $80 billion to the IRS over 10 years to hire employees and improve services. The Professional Managers Association warns reductions could also impact the time to resolve identity theft cases and compliance. 

"There were lots of improvements in the technology department and a lot of growth and things planned," said Professional Managers Association Executive Director Kelly Reyes.

"So, I think the IRS funding was moving in a great direction," Reyes said. "There were a lot of great strides being made, and a lot of that is just going to waste right now, as the funding gets cut, the reduction in workforce, the stress that that's playing on all of the improvements that we've had."