Blair Miller:

Congress passed a spending bill last week that the president signed. Because of that, the IRS will receive 12.6 billion dollars, an increase of 6% from last year. For months, we’ve heard the complaints about the IRS and even leaders within the agency pleading for help.

“We need appropriated, mandatory. multi year consistent funding.”

It appears Congress is listening with the spending bill passed that includes increased funding for the IRS. 21 million dollars will go toward new and improved technology. 10,000 jobs will be added. The new investment will also go toward resolving the backlog in processing tax returns.

Joshua Sewell

This is the largest increase to the IRS, its annual budget, in about 20 years.

Blair Miller

Josh Sewell is with Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan budget watchdog group. He told me it could take a while for taxpayers to notice the change.

Joshua Sewell

But it’s going to be months and the real fixes for the IRS, as far as the technology upgrades and really getting to a capacity to truly help taxpayers when they have a question, is going to take a few years. 

Blair Miller

Tax industry experts say it’s a good starting point. Recently, the government accountability office laid out just how deep the problems have been with the IRS not getting refunds returned quickly.

“Delays caused hardship for taxpayers and can also cost the government money.”

The president wanted a 14% increase in funding. instead, he got less than half of that. In Washington, Blair Miller.