Taxpayers are expected to understand and comply with a very complicated tax code. In return, they should be able to expect the IRS to answer basic questions accurately and help resolve problems without adding new frustration to an already burdensome process. Unfortunately, a new watchdog report finds that many taxpayers receive poor service when they call the IRS for assistance.
Out of 200 calls during the 2025 tax filing season monitored by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), 52 were identified as having critical shortcomings. TIGTA estimates that approximately 1 million taxpayers calling major telephone lines last filing season did not receive quality service based on this finding.
The Senate had been poised to hold a hearing on the bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act, which would make a number of practical improvements to taxpayer service and IRS accountability. However, an unrelated political controversy has stalled progress and indefinitely delayed the hearing. Taxpayers should not be kept waiting for improved service from the IRS.
TIGTA Findings Raise Serious Service Concerns
TIGTA is the independent watchdog responsible for overseeing IRS operations and identifying waste, fraud, abuse, and service deficiencies. It recently examined the quality of assistance taxpayers receive when calling the Service.
Last year, during the four months surrounding tax day, the IRS received 3.8 million calls to its Compliance Services and Accounts Management telephone lines. TIGTA listened in on 200 of those calls to assess whether IRS agents provided accurate information, followed required procedures, and treated taxpayers professionally.
Taxpayers call the IRS for many reasons. The tax code is complicated, and many people need help understanding instructions for forms and schedules, locating missing information, or resolving questions about their accounts. Others contact the Service to report identity theft or suspected fraud. In many cases, taxpayers simply want to make sure they are filing correctly and complying with the law so they can avoid audit notices, penalties, or other problems down the road.
The report found that more than one-quarter of the reviewed calls failed to meet quality standards. The problems were especially pronounced on the Accounts Management lines, where TIGTA estimated that 34% of taxpayers did not receive quality service, compared to 18% on Compliance Services lines.
The most common problem identified was dropped or disconnected calls, which accounted for nearly half of all calls that fell short of standards. The IRS does not require representatives to document when and why calls are dropped, making it challenging to address the issue. Excessive hold times accounted for the second most common failure, followed by instances where taxpayers were provided inaccurate or incomplete answers and discourteous treatment. IRS representatives are trained not to keep taxpayers on hold for longer than seven minutes, but 10% of phone calls TIGTA listened to exceeded this threshold. TIGTA also noted that taxpayers who receive incorrect guidance may face additional delays, compliance challenges, or unnecessary costs when attempting to resolve their tax issues.
This was not the first warning. In 2024, National Taxpayers Union Foundation highlighted longstanding weaknesses in the IRS taxpayer service experience, including inconsistent assistance, difficulty reaching representatives, and challenges navigating Service systems. Those concerns mirror TIGTA’s findings and suggest that many taxpayers continue to face obstacles when seeking timely and accurate help from the IRS.
Quality taxpayer services improve compliance with the tax system. When taxpayers cannot get reliable assistance, they are more likely to make mistakes, miss deadlines, distrust notices, give up trying to resolve a problem correctly, or disengage from the system altogether. That is bad for taxpayers, bad for tax administration, and ultimately bad for voluntary compliance.
The TAS Act Offers a Practical Reform Path
Fortunately, Congress does have reform legislation to improve taxpayer service at the IRS. The bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act (S. 3931), sponsored by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), would address many of the service problems that have persisted for years, including outdated technology, inadequate transparency, weak accountability, and inadequate taxpayer services.
The bill would require better online tools, improved refund tracking, and a customer service dashboard to give taxpayers more information about call wait times and service availability. It would also strengthen communication between taxpayers and the IRS by making it easier to track the status of inquiries, receive timely updates, and resolve issues without repeatedly contacting the Service. For taxpayers facing audits, identity theft concerns, refund delays, or notice disputes, these improvements could reduce confusion, shorten resolution times, and make interactions with the IRS more transparent.
Many of the reforms in the TAS Act would implement practical improvements to help taxpayers navigate the IRS before small problems become larger ones. Moreover, the legislation includes 23 reforms that NTU or NTU Foundation have recommended, reflecting years of work to improve taxpayer rights, modernize IRS administration, and make the tax system more transparent and accountable.
A Wake-Up Call for Congress
Unfortunately, a political dispute regarding an unrelated IRS issue has delayed the hearing on the TAS Act that was expected to be held in mid-June. Whatever disputes lawmakers may have over other matters, taxpayer service should not become collateral damage.
The IRS answers tens of millions of taxpayer calls each year, and the latest TIGTA findings show that Congress cannot afford to put service reforms on the back burner. The TAS Act contains several proposals intended to improve taxpayer service and address longstanding administrative challenges at the IRS. Taxpayers deserve an IRS that answers questions accurately, resolves problems efficiently, and respects the rights of the people it serves.