| Don't kill the messenger.
The IRS has issued a warning that a combined staffing shortage and paperwork backlog from last year will make for a very messy and frustrating experience for taxpayers.
With delays expected in this year's tax returns, including any potential refunds, the IRS announced the official start date of the tax season has been moved up by two weeks, to Jan. 24, to try and head off the potential for even greater delays.
Of course, the tax season this year will be even more complicated than usual because pandemic-related economic impact payments and child tax credit payments were distributed last year. Taxpayers will be required to report the amount of money that they received. As for that backlog, the IRS still has not processed 6 million individual returns already submitted by taxpayers as of Dec. 23.
"In many areas, we are unable to deliver the amount of service and enforcement that our taxpayers and tax system deserves and needs," said Charles Rettig, the IRS commissioner. "This is frustrating for taxpayers, for IRS employees and for me."
For its part, the IRS is urging taxpayers to file their 2021 tax returns electronically and as soon as possible to avoid delays in processing and receiving refunds. The IRS anticipates that most taxpayers who file electronically, choose direct deposit and have no issues with their tax return will receive their refund within 21 days.
A tax expert interviewed by CNBC's Kate Dore had this direct advice for taxpayers: "Get your [tax] return filed as quickly as possible. That will at least get the wheels turning on what could possibly be another slow year for IRS processing."
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