In the latest edition of “Smart Money” by Northern Nevada Business Weekly, Teela McCullar, managing director at Barnard Vogler & Co., offers timely guidance on how evolving IRS operations could affect individuals and businesses during the upcoming tax season.

With nearly 141 million individual tax returns filed in 2025 and over 13 million of them “suspended” for additional review, Teela outlines how IRS service improvements are being challenged by significant staffing reductions and systemic changes.

Key insights from her article include:

• IRS Initiatives in 2024 and Beyond: The IRS continues to roll out digital improvements like the Paperless Processing Initiative, aimed at reducing paper use and expediting refunds. The agency also expanded callback options and added thousands of in-person service hours.
• Staffing Cuts and Processing Risks: Despite these improvements, IRS staffing has dropped considerably—raising concerns about slower response times for returns, notices, and correspondence.
• Mandatory Electronic Payments by Sept. 30: An executive order will require all federal payments (including refunds and fines) to be issued electronically, unless a specific exemption applies.

Teela emphasizes that while innovation is important, ensuring reliable service for taxpayers is equally critical.

Read the full column in the July 2025 edition of NNBW’s “Smart Money.”