The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) heads into the 2026 tax season with deep staff losses and complex new tax laws, prompting a warning that filers may face tougher hurdles if they hit problems. In her annual report to Congress on Wednesday, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins said the agency's 27 percent workforce reduction, leadership turnover, and extensive retroactive tax law changes could strain IRS processing capacity and slow down help for those who need assistance. These