Recent proposals to cut the IRS workforce by nearly 20% are raising concerns about potential delays in processing tax returns and issuing refunds this tax season. As the IRS initiates layoffs of around 6,000 employees, experts warn that the impact could disproportionately affect lower-income individuals while potentially benefiting wealthy tax dodgers. With the ongoing reductions, including office closures and lease terminations, former IRS managers and analysts express fears that crucial audits may be stalled, particularly those targeting high-income earners and corporations. Critics argue that rather than achieving meaningful reforms, these cuts could exacerbate inefficiencies and shift audit responsibilities to state agencies, causing headaches for taxpayers nationwide. As the tax season approaches, citizens are left wondering how these drastic workforce reductions will affect their refund timing and overall service quality.