If your tax return hits a snag this year, getting help from the IRS could take longer — and more complex refunds could be slow to arrive too. Why it matters: A Treasury watchdog report warns the Internal Revenue Service entered the 2026 filing season short-staffed and overwhelmed,

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani cited concerns including violations of privacy laws and the possible arrest of misidentified U.S. citizens.

Online accounts and identity-protection PINs are among the ways to prevent headaches this filing season.

The IRS advises creating an Individual Online Account for security and managing tax information before the April 15 deadline.

Treasury Secretary and acting commissioner of the IRS Scott Bessent confirmed the details in a hearing with the Senate Banking Committee.

Selling silver can trigger IRS reporting, but when and how it happens depends on what you sell and how you do it.

Treasury posted a lapsed appropriations contingency plan late last week that calls for the IRS to be fully staffed through Friday during the partial government shutdown.

The most recent government shutdown began Oct. 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass appropriations bills for the new fiscal year.

IRS staff shortages and new tax laws mean you should file your taxes early and triple-check everything.

The Trump administration has been handed a legal setback as a federal judge ruled on Thursday that the IRS cannot share data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid its efforts to facilitate migrant deportations.

The Internal Revenue Service confirmed in a recent update that military members won't be taxed for their $1,776 benefit

The agency incorrectly labeled some taxpayers as hostages when providing tax relief, or failed to remove a special indicator after their release from captivity.