Tax season is about to start. The IRS is already facing a backlog
CBSN
Tax filing season for 2021 tax returns will begin on Monday, January 24, 2022, the Treasury Department announced Monday. But amid the ongoing pandemic and a lack of resources at the Internal Revenue Service, Treasury officials warn it's going to be a challenge with taxpayers and tax preparers facing a frustrating filing season.
Normally, the IRS would have fewer than 1 million items to address in the backlog entering the tax filing season, but due to complications from the coronavirus pandemic, that's not the case this filing season. Treasury officials did not give an exact number for the backlog but said it was significant, several times more than 1 million.
The IRS is continuing to play catch-up from the height of the pandemic. In 2020, mail centers were shut down for a month. Meanwhile, more than 20% of the IRS customer service workforce has been unable to work due to health reasons related to the pandemic over the last two years.
