Tax Notes Talk IRS Advisory Committee Chair Previews 2026 Filing Season
Jan 16, 2026
Philip Hwang, the Chief Tax Officer at Optima Tax Relief and national chair of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, shares insights on the looming 2026 filing season. He dives into the challenges taxpayers face, like refund delays and the impact of IRS staff cuts. Hwang highlights the shift toward digital refunds and the importance of reaching out to unbanked taxpayers. He also explains the new automatic first-time penalty abatement and offers advice on managing client expectations with upcoming changes.
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Staffing Cuts Meet Major Law Changes
- The IRS faces staffing shortfalls alongside major legislative changes this filing season.
- Those two forces together could increase taxpayer service demand and processing complexity.
How The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Operates
- Philip Hwang describes the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel as a volunteer federal advisory committee that gives grassroots feedback.
- TAP produces an annual report and advises Congress and the IRS on improving tax administration.
Centralize Online Services To Scale Help
- TAP focuses on systemic issues like online engagement and centralized taxpayer accounts.
- Improving authentication and consolidating IRS notices could let taxpayers self-serve more effectively.