On Sunday, March 16, 2025, United States Department of the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed during an interview on Meet the Press that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be waiting until after their “game day” to make significant adjustments to the IRS workforce.
He explained that while other federal departments are making cuts now, the IRS is presently in its playoffs since it is March leading to Tax Day, April 15, 2025, being their game day. Secretary Bessent indicated that after the IRS Game Day/Tax Day, then the IRS workforce will be reviewed in May 2025.
When reviewing adjustments to the IRS workforce, Secretary Bessent confirmed the IRS will prioritize the following IRS functions:
1. IRS Collections;
2. Taxpayer Privacy; and
3. Customer Service.
Whether Secretary Bessent was speaking with candor or if he actually has a say in how the Department of Treasury functions or operates, provided the current administration(s), is yet to be determined. However, he did indicate that collections would be a priority.
Furthermore, the IRS does have the power of the courts and may cause a tax debt to be even more expensive to both collect and defend if the IRS is eventually eliminated. So those of you hoping the IRS may just go away, hope is not a plan. Taking advantage of the collection defense options and strategies that are implemented by our tax law firm may need to be implemented before they are terminated and you get dragged into court.