Don't Mess With Taxes

With the holiday season fast approaching, companies are looking to add employees for the end-of-year rush.

The Internal Revenue Service is among them this year. Its new workers, however, will be instrumental during next year's tax filing season.

In late October, the IRS announced it had made "significant progress" toward a (hopefully) smoother 2023 tax season by hiring 4,000 new customer service representatives. Those new staffers, who are undergoing training, will help answer phones and provide other services when the new year rolls around.

Today, Uncle Sam's tax collector put out another "help wanted" sign. The IRS is seeking more than 700 additional new hires to help taxpayers at Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) across the country.

These two most recent hiring pushes are part of the expanded IRS improvements enabled by the new money provided in the Inflation Reduction Act that became law in August.

More in-person taxpayer help: The 700+ openings just announced are technical positions that include Individual Taxpayer Advisory Specialists.

These are the IRS staff who provide face-to-face assistance in the agency's TAC offices nationwide, as well as serve as Initial Assistance Representatives who greet taxpayers and help determine their TAC needs.

"This is an important priority to provide more service at the IRS for the upcoming filing season," said Ken Corbin, the Service's Taxpayer Experience Officer and Wage and Investment Commissioner. "We are working to have more than 270 walk-in sites properly staffed to provide the help taxpayers need and deserve. This will be the first time in a decade our walk-in sites will be fully staffed."

In addition to the face-to-face representatives and phone assistors, the IRS said it also is working to hire additional people throughout the agency, not just in taxpayer service areas. Those openings are in Information Technology and compliance positions.

Apply now, or at least get more info on 11/17: If you're interested in working for the IRS, the agency recommends you attend an upcoming IRS Careers information session to learn more about open positions and requirements, how to apply, and federal employment benefits.

Federal experience is not a requirement. The IRS also takes into account job seekers' experience in other public sectors, private industry, and their volunteer work.

However, applicants (and eventual employees) must be U.S. citizens and pass an FBI fingerprint check. You also must be up to date as far as meeting your personal tax filing responsibilities.

A virtual hiring info session is scheduled for Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. Eastern time. You can register online.

You also can learn more about IRS positions at the agency's careers page, and about federal jobs in general at USAJOBS. In addition, the IRS' social media accounts at LinkedIn and Twitter (@RecruitmentIRS) regularly post about openings.

More than taxes: In announcing its latest round of hiring, the IRS noted that its personnel help collect nearly 96 percent of the revenue needed to fund nearly all federal government programs. It also supports other federal agencies, from Homeland Security to Social Security to myriad other national programs.

And, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it took on added responsibilities of distributing coronavirus relief and other payments.

You also might find these items of interest:

• IRS stepping up crypto info and tax collection
• IRS seeking VITA and TCE volunteers for 2023 tax season
• Career IRS employee will be acting commissioner after Rettig leaves
• IRS plans to end tax backlog by shifting jobs, hiring 10,000 new staff

Advertisements