IRS Chief Announces shake-up Ahead of Tax Season Amid Growing Concerns Over Agency's Readiness
The head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced a major shake-up just days before the start of the 2026 tax filing season, citing plans to modernize the agency and improve taxpayer service. In a letter to IRS employees, CEO Frank Bisignano outlined new priorities and reorganization efforts aimed at addressing growing concerns over the agency's preparedness for the upcoming tax year.
The timing of Bisignano's announcement comes as the IRS faces significant challenges, including implementing major tax law changes under the recently signed tax and spending package. The new law includes provisions for tips and overtime relief, as well as deductions for qualifying older Americans. With millions of tax returns expected to be filed this year, the agency will also need to process complex changes to tax laws.
Bisignano's shake-up includes several key appointments, including Gary Shapley, who recently served as IRS Commissioner and has been named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division. Another former whistleblower, Joseph Ziegler, will lead internal consulting efforts. Guy Ficco, the outgoing head of Criminal Investigation, will be replaced by Jarod Koopman.
In his letter, Bisignano expressed confidence in the agency's ability to deliver a successful tax filing season, citing new priorities that include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections, and safeguarding taxpayer privacy. However, some experts have raised concerns over the IRS's readiness for the 2026 tax season, particularly given its reduced workforce following mass layoffs last year.
The National Taxpayer Advocate report to Congress warned of potential risks to next year's filing season due to the agency's reduced staff and upcoming tax law changes. With an expected 164 million individual income tax returns this year, the IRS will need to ensure that it is equipped to handle the influx of filings while also implementing complex changes to tax laws.
Bisignano's appointment as commissioner of the Social Security Administration adds another layer of complexity to his already ambitious agenda for the IRS. As he seeks to modernize and improve the agency, critics will be watching closely to see whether the shake-up addresses the root causes of long-standing concerns over taxpayer service and agency efficiency.
The head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced a major shake-up just days before the start of the 2026 tax filing season, citing plans to modernize the agency and improve taxpayer service. In a letter to IRS employees, CEO Frank Bisignano outlined new priorities and reorganization efforts aimed at addressing growing concerns over the agency's preparedness for the upcoming tax year.
The timing of Bisignano's announcement comes as the IRS faces significant challenges, including implementing major tax law changes under the recently signed tax and spending package. The new law includes provisions for tips and overtime relief, as well as deductions for qualifying older Americans. With millions of tax returns expected to be filed this year, the agency will also need to process complex changes to tax laws.
Bisignano's shake-up includes several key appointments, including Gary Shapley, who recently served as IRS Commissioner and has been named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division. Another former whistleblower, Joseph Ziegler, will lead internal consulting efforts. Guy Ficco, the outgoing head of Criminal Investigation, will be replaced by Jarod Koopman.
In his letter, Bisignano expressed confidence in the agency's ability to deliver a successful tax filing season, citing new priorities that include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections, and safeguarding taxpayer privacy. However, some experts have raised concerns over the IRS's readiness for the 2026 tax season, particularly given its reduced workforce following mass layoffs last year.
The National Taxpayer Advocate report to Congress warned of potential risks to next year's filing season due to the agency's reduced staff and upcoming tax law changes. With an expected 164 million individual income tax returns this year, the IRS will need to ensure that it is equipped to handle the influx of filings while also implementing complex changes to tax laws.
Bisignano's appointment as commissioner of the Social Security Administration adds another layer of complexity to his already ambitious agenda for the IRS. As he seeks to modernize and improve the agency, critics will be watching closely to see whether the shake-up addresses the root causes of long-standing concerns over taxpayer service and agency efficiency.
And don't even get me started on how understaffed the IRS is now – I mean, 164 million individual income tax returns? That's a lot of work. I'm already stressed about my own taxes and this just makes it feel like they're throwing us under the bus... 
so they're shakin' things up at the IRS? about time, tbh 
but have you seen the timeline for this? like, they're doing all this in a few days before tax season starts? that's not exactly the most ideal setup 
i mean, i get it, they wanna modernize and improve taxpayer service, but what about the actual people who are gonna be processing all these returns? 
I'm getting so frustrated with the IRS these days 
. I mean, who wants to deal with a bunch of paperwork and forms just to file their taxes? It's already stressful enough trying to make ends meet 
.
. The new guy, Frank Bisignano, seems like he's on top of things but only time will tell if his shake-up actually works 
.
. Tips and overtime relief for older Americans? Sounds great in theory but how is that supposed to affect my everyday life? 
but like, it's about time, right? they've been handling our taxes for years and still can't get it together 
. i'm not surprised to hear that there are plans to modernize and improve taxpayer service, though - we deserve better than to be treated like, well, tax season 
. it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out, especially with the new law changes coming down the pipe 
. maybe bisignano's got some tricks up his sleeve 
or maybe he's just trying to spin a fresh narrative 
who knows? one thing for sure - i'll be keeping an eye on this development 
i'm not really sure if it'll make a diff but honestly, i've been gettin' my taxes done online 4 years now & it's always so smooth 
guess they're tryin' to catch up? anywayz, hope they can handle the influx of forms comin' in this year lol 
and whats up with bisignano being commissioner of SSA now? that's like, a whole different ball game 
seems like he's got his hands full trying to fix the IRS too 
. and poor Guy Ficco getting pushed out... you know, just another day in the life of government officials 
gotta give credit where credit is due, at least they're making some changes 
with all these new appointments, maybe we'll actually start seeing some improvements in customer service 
but let's be real, it's gonna take more than just a shake-up to fix the agency's problems 
still keeping fingers crossed for a smooth 2026 tax season 
. Sure, there might be some hiccups along the way, but that's just part of the process, right? I don't think it's fair to say they're not ready for next year's tax season without givin' 'em a chance to get everything sorted out 
.
, but it remains to be seen whether his new role will actually address the root causes of the agency's problems. Meanwhile, Joseph Ziegler's appointment as internal consultant raises some eyebrows 
. It's clear that the agency is trying to shuffle things around, but it remains to be seen whether this will actually lead to any meaningful changes.
. The agency needs to fundamentally transform its culture and approach to taxpayer service in order to build trust with the public once again 
. Only time will tell if Bisignano's shake-up will be enough to address these long-standing concerns 
. what they really need is more funding and resources to get their act together, not just a bunch of fancy reorgs 
. We'll see how long it takes for the agency to get its act together...
i mean, it's gonna be a lot for them to handle already with all the new laws... hope they can get it together tho 
No, now they're like "Oh, we need to modernize" and "we need to improve taxpayer service"... sounds good, but is it really gonna make a difference? 
bisignano sounds pretty confident but how's he gonna make this work? and what about all these layoffs last year, i'm still trying to get an answer from them on that front