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    3.  » ASK THE CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT TAX AND PAYROLL TAX ATTORNEY – COVID-19 CONTINUES TO WREAK HAVOC ON IRS PROCESSING

Ask The California Employment Tax And Payroll Tax Attorney – Covid-19 Continues To Wreak Havoc On Irs Processing

By Robert S. Schriebman
2023

Introduction

During the annual tax-filing season, the IRS processes more than 150 million tax returns and also provides telephone correspondence, online, and in person taxpayer services.

Recently the GAO took a survey of how well the IRS was doing chipping away the backlog of tax returns caused by Covid-19.  At the end of 2021, the IRS had a backlog of about 10.5 million paper returns. However, as late as September 2022, the backlog grew to almost 12.4 million returns.  This resulted in refund delays for millions of taxpayers.

From January to September 2022 the IRS chipped away at the backlog of taxpayer correspondence from about 5 million to about 400,000.  The reduction was accomplished by the IRS shifting human resources to process this paperwork.  However, there was a price to pay.  The IRS answered less than 1 in 5 calls during the filing season.

As of September 2022, the IRS met its hiring goals for fiscal year 2022 through a combination of direct and traditional hiring. “Direct hiring” allows the IRS to make on-the-spot job offers to applicants.  As a result, about 95% of direct hires did not start working until after the 2022 filing season ended.

In a previous GAO study 13 recommendations were made to the IRS and the Treasury Department.  These recommendations would improve customer service performance. Very few of these recommendations have been implemented.

For more information see GAO-23-105880

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Robert Schriebman has a successful practice in the Rolling Hills Estates area of Los Angeles County serving clients throughout California and the United States. He has successfully dedicated more than 50 years to helping individual taxpayers, business owners, CPAs, Enrolled Agents, and tax attorneys navigate the complicated tax systems of the federal and state governments. Mr. Schriebman is in private practice. He is not affiliated in any way with the EDD, and he is not employed by the EDD or any other agency of the State of California.

Robert Schriebman has written the only 2 books ever published dealing with how California Employment Development Department (EDD) operates. See “California Tax Collection Practice and Procedures” and “California Taxation Practice and Procedure,” both published by Commerce Clearing House.

Robert Schriebman has written over 20 books including the major manual used nationally by practitioners and the IRS, “IRS Tax Collection Procedures – A Manual for Practitioners” published by Commerce Clearing House.

Robert Schriebman has written over 20 books including the major manual used nationally by practitioners and the IRS, “IRS Tax Collection Procedures – A Manual for Practitioners” published by Commerce Clearing House in addition to the only 2 books ever published dealing with how California Employment Development Department (EDD) operates. See “California Tax Collection Practice and Procedures” and “California Taxation Practice and Procedure,” both published by Commerce Clearing House.

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