Backlog of Identity Theft Cases at IRS Leaving Many Without Refunds

A backlog of identity theft cases at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is growing, hitting 500,000 in April, according to a new report from National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins. The Taxpayer Advocate Service, led by Ms. Collins, is an independent organization within the IRS that issues two annual reports to Congress, reporting findings and making recommendations on how to fix them. The major backlog has led to some taxpayers not receiving refunds and others not seeing their cases get resolved for years, according to Ms. Erin Collins. The average resolution time for the cases was more than 22 months. “Delays of nearly two years make a mockery of the right to quality service in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. The IRS must prioritize assistance for these victims and fix this problem quickly,” Ms. Collins wrote in her fiscal year 2025 report to Congress....