IRS Furloughs: What Taxpayers Need to Know

Jeremy Springer
Oct 9
1 min read

The IRS has begun to furlough employees due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Many services are paused or slower than normal. Here's how the IRS staffing is being adjusted and what services will most likely be impacted.

According to information based on the IRS’s official plan, a little over half of IRS workers will stay on the job. The plan says about 53.6% of employees—around 39,870 people—are working, while nearly half are furloughed.

What this means for you

Phone and help lines may be slower. Expect longer wait times for live help.
Some operations are closed. The IRS states “most IRS operations are closed” during the lapse in funding.
If you’re filing soon, plan ahead. With fewer staff, responses and processing can take longer. (The union representing IRS employees also warned of longer waits and growing backlogs.)

Will IRS employees get paid later?

The IRS notes that furloughed workers are in non-pay, non-duty status until the shutdown ends. When funding returns, normal pay and operations resume under federal law and agency guidance.

Why this is happening

These steps come from the IRS’s Lapsed Appropriations Contingency Plan, which tells the agency how to operate during a shutdown. The current plan took effect October 8, 2025.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is informational only and does not take a political position. This information was current at time of posting; we are not responsible for updating this or any blog post/article for subsequent changes in the law or its interpretation.