Snapshot Report: Status of the IRS’s Workforce as of January 2026
Why did we do this review?
As part of efforts to reduce the federal workforce, the IRS offered several voluntary separation programs, including the Deferred Resignation Program, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment. Many employees who accepted these offers received pay through September 30, 2025, or later if they were eligible to retire between October 1 and December 31, 2025. This review updates our prior report and provides a snapshot of IRS workforce impacts as of January 2026.
What did we find?
IRS records show that 31,273 employees separated, accepted a DRP offer, or used another incentive to leave the agency between January 2025 and January 2026. These departures represent about 30 percent of the IRS workforce and impacted some business units more than others.
The IRS also began backfilling select positions and hired about 2,000 employees as of January 2026, resulting in a net staffing reduction of 28 percent.
The reductions impacted certain IRS business units and positions (job series) more than others. For example, approximately 33 percent of revenue agents and approximately 32 percent of tax examiners separated from the IRS. Revenue agents conduct examinations (audits) by reviewing financial records of individuals and businesses to verify what is reported. Tax examiners are responsible for reviewing and processing federal tax returns to ensure compliance and accuracy.
Top IRS Business Units Affected (number of separations and percentage of the business unit's overall staffing)
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