IRS uses IRA funding to stay open during shutdown

The Internal Revenue Service is leveraging extra funding left over from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to keep running for the next few days during tax season despite the partial government shutdown.

The IRS posted a contingency plan late Friday indicating that it would be able to use the funding to operate until Feb. 7, 2026, while keeping all 74,942 employees working. 

"Section 10301 of the Inflation Reduction Act, Pub. L. 117-169, provided supplemental appropriations available through Sept. 30, 2031, for all IRS appropriations accounts," said the plan.  "With this funding the IRS will not experience a lapse in appropriations on Jan. 31, 2026, and normal IRS operations will continue. This plan would go in effect Jan. 31, 2026, and cover bureau operating needs until Feb. 7, 2026."

The agency was similarly able to use funding from the Biden-era legislation for the first five days of last fall's 43-day government shutdown, but ultimately the IRS needed to close down most operations as the shutdown dragged on past the first week. However, that shutdown did not occur soon after the start of tax season, as this one did.

The Inflation Reduction Act appropriated $80 billion in extra funding for the IRS over 10 years, but that amount has been subsequently cut by more than half by Congress to $37.6 billion.

"The Internal Revenue Service will continue operations under the current lapse in appropriations until further notice, using funding from 2022 legislation," the IRS said in a statement posted to its website Monday. "Expect IRS operations to continue as normal with IRS offices maintaining regular hours, on-line self-service help tools available and other services continuing as usual. Taxpayers also should continue to meet any federal tax filing or payment obligations as normal."

The AICPA sent a letter last Thursday to IRS leaders asking them to keep 100% of IRS employees working during the shutdown, pointing to the impact on tax season.

"The consequences of furloughing IRS employees, reducing taxpayer and practitioner services, and introducing the prospect for prolonged or widespread technology disruptions could prove to be detrimental to the success of the filing season currently underway and the effective and timely implementation of recent legislative changes," wrote AICPA Tax Executive Committee chair Cheri Freeh in the letter, addressed to IRS acting commissioner and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano.

Over the weekend, the Senate passed an extension to funding for most agencies, including the Treasury and the IRS, but disagreements remain over funding for the Department of Homeland Security and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit. Democrats want to see changes in ICE policy before approving long-term funding. The House was out of session late last week, but lawmakers are returning to the Capitol to vote on reopening the government. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, anticipates a vote to end the shutdown could come as soon as Tuesday.