In the market for a new job opportunity? Here’s a place to look that you may not have thought of — the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that was passed under the Biden administration, an $80 billion allotment to the IRS is paving the way for new technology upgrades and expansions that will be implemented by nearly 20,000 new employees.
These jobs are aligned to transform the department and provide the service that the American people deserve. Some of the hiring has already started, and some improvements in service have already been transparent during the current tax filing season.
What Kinds of Jobs Will Be Coming to the IRS?
Over the next two years (2023 – 2024), the IRS will ramp up its hiring by boosting job opportunities committed to better or enhanced customer service, technology upgrades, and enforcement. Many of these new employees will replace the nearly 12,000 IRS employees that are expected to retire over the next two years.
Customer Service
Nearly 6,500 full-time staff will be hired to enhance customer support and assist with processing tax returns. Those efforts have already started, and the public has already noticed better online response times. During the fiscal year 2022, the agency only answered about 17% of its calls. Currently, 80% to 90% of the calls are being answered. Wait times for customers on the phone have also improved from an average of 27 minutes to four minutes. These enhanced efforts are on track to improve customer satisfaction by allowing the agency what it needs to impart excellent customer service to the people.
Technology
The IRS plans to utilize a portion of the new employees being hired to ramp up its overall technology. Outdated technology and systems will be upgraded. The agency intends to have modernized systems that will allow its taxpayers to access their entire account history. This will include allowing them to:
- View any notices and return
- Make online payments
- Get personalized alerts
- Get updates as needed for their filings
Taxpayers will also be able to identify mistakes before even filing their returns. This will allow returns to be completed with fewer errors, which will also allow for a quicker return.
In addition, the IRS plans to eliminate its paper backlog. Within the next five years, it intends to have moved to a fully digital correspondence process.
Enforcement
The IRS plans to obligate a large portion of this new funding over the next two years to nearly 7,250 new hires responsible for enforcement. These jobs will consist of data scientists who will complement the work of tax attorneys and revenue agents by using new data analytics technology to identify audit targets.
These audits would include wealthy individuals and big corporations that have grown in number and are more complex, while the IRS audit staff has dwindled in size over the past 10 years. The Biden administration estimates that the top 1% of Americans evade an estimated $160 billion in taxes yearly because there hasn’t been enough staff to enforce these areas. Nearly $1.8 billion will be devoted to enforcement over the next few years, with even more ($45 billion) being devoted over the next 10 years.
Should You Consider a Career With the IRS?
The IRS’s budget has remained stagnant since the 1990’s — that’s more than 30 years. In fact, its budget has decreased a bit since 2010. In 2021, the number of full-time employees at the agency was a 10% decrease from previous years. Currently, staffing levels are 20% below what they were in 2010. But, with the sizable budget Congress has passed with the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS now has $80 billion to up its game by improving its services and expanding its workforce. Should you consider a career with the IRS? If you’ve got a knack for any of these things, you’d be an excellent fit for the IRS:
- A commitment to public service
- A strong work ethic
A desire for a career in:
- Business
- Accounting
- Taxes
- Customer Service
- Criminal Investigation
- Information Technology
- Business Administration
- Law
- Communications
- And more
Opportunities in the IRS are not limited to business, accounting, and taxes. Just about any degree or entry-level position is possible within the agency, and they have many business and career opportunities. The IRS is a great place to start out if you’re unsure of your career path. With tens of thousands of job opportunities opening up in customer service, technology, and enforcement, the scales for job placement are higher than ever at the agency.
How To Start a Career With the IRS
The IRS seeks to hire nearly 20,000 new employees focusing on customer service, technology, and enforcement. And with their diverse workforce, recruitment is possible every day for various positions from entry-level to specialized fields.
The IRS offers competitive pay and benefits and on-the-job training. If you’re considering a career in the IRS, visit their career page to learn more. Once ready, you can start your job search and begin applying for jobs with the IRS.
The Bottom Line
The IRS may not have been at the top of your list for job opportunities, but with the current plight and the upcoming job boom, maybe it should be.
Due to the recent $80 billion funding allotment, the timing is right to consider a job or a career at the IRS. The 20,000 jobs coming their way can open up the doors for a lot of people who are looking for job opportunities while at the same time making the lives of taxpayers a lot easier. If you’ve been looking for a new career opportunity, now is the perfect time to explore what a career with the IRS could look like for you. No prior tax experience is required, and job training is available.
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