If You Missed the Federal Tax Filing Deadline, IRS Assistance is Available
The IRS's recent return-to-office mandate has created significant operational disruptions that may impact tax practitioners' interactions with the agency. As of March 10th, all IRS employees living within 50 miles of traditional worksites were required to return to in-person work, a transition that has not been without complications. Understanding these changes can help tax practice managers better navigate potential delays and communication challenges during this tax season.
The implementation of the IRS return mandate has encountered several logistical hurdles, with many IRS facilities lacking adequate space to accommodate returning employees. This space constraint has particularly affected customer service divisions, leading to a phased approach to the return-to-office initiative.
According to a March 19 email from the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) to its members, approximately 15,000 additional employees were directed to report for in-person work beginning March 24. This group includes about 7,000 customer service representatives from the Small Business/Self-Employed and taxpayer services divisions—staff that tax practitioners frequently interact with during filing season.
The current situation stems from a February 28 memorandum in which J. Trevor Norris, Treasury's deputy assistant secretary for human resources and chief human capital officer, directed all Treasury bureaus to cancel regular telework arrangements by March 8. This directive allowed for few exceptions, primarily for approved reasonable accommodations, settlement agreements, collective bargaining obligations, or specific exceptions approved by the department.
Implications for Tax Practitioners
These operational changes may result in significant challenges for tax practitioners. Response times may lag as employees adjust to new working arrangements and physical spaces. Service continuity could be disrupted, particularly in customer service functions that tax practitioners rely on for resolving client issues. Additionally, the uncertainty about which IRS functions will be fully staffed at which locations adds another layer of complexity to securing timely responses during the height of tax season.
As Treasury and the IRS continue implementing return-to-office policies while simultaneously planning for workforce reduction and reorganization, tax practice managers should anticipate ongoing adjustments to IRS operations and availability. Developing more flexible communication strategies and building additional time into client timelines for IRS interactions would be prudent until the situation stabilizes.
Christine Gervais is a licensed CPA, using her skills to help businesses grow and achieve their fullest potential. Christine has a Master’s degree in accounting from Southern New Hampshire University in addition to holding her CPA license for over a decade. Notably, Christine is a nationally recognized speaker providing education to other CPAs on how to best serve clients as well as instruction on a wide variety of topics for business owners on how to maximize success. Christine prides herself on the value she can bring to clients with her extensive tax knowledge and provides strategic, forward-thinking financial strategies to help clients grow. When not behind her desk, you can find Christine spending quality time with her daughter and stepson or tending to the family’s excessively loved farm animals.
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