One of the more controversial (and potentially consequential) aspects of President Donald Trump’s second administration is the formation and implementation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an organization created to eliminate waste and supposed fraud within the federal government. Led by Elon Musk, one of DOGE’s major targets has been the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Advertisement: High Yield Savings Offers
Earn 4.10% APY** on balances of $5,000 or more
View Offer ### Earn up to 4.00% APY with Savings Pods
View Offer ### Earn up to 3.80% APY¹ & up to $300 Cash Bonus with Direct Deposit
View Offer Powered by Money.com - Yahoo may earn commission from the links above. Read Next: How Paychecks Would Look in Each State If Trump Dropped Federal Income Tax
For You: Mark Cuban Says Trump's Executive Order To Lower Medication Costs Has a 'Real Shot' -- Here's Why
Per CBS News, one of DOGE’s stated goals is to cut 40% of the IRS workforce. Thus far, via both “deferred resignations” and layoffs, the IRS has lost approximately 11% of its workforce in 2025. Of those IRS agents who are no longer with the agency, some 3,600 are auditors — meaning the IRS has now lost about a third (31%) of its auditors since Trump’s inauguration in January. This major loss of auditors could impact taxpayers in a significant way, such as the one below.
A Perception of Lighter Consequences
Typically, the IRS losing a large number of auditors would diminish the government’s ability to collect taxes. As Emily DiVito, senior advisor on economic policy at the Groundwork Collaborative, said to CBS News, the government is losing trained staff essential to maintaining compliance for corporate and high-income taxpayers. DiVito added that, consequently, when taxpayers — particularly those most unwilling to pay — come to believe there is little chance of facing consequences for not paying or not filing, noticeable changes in their behavior can occur.”
Check Out: Trump Wants To Eliminate Income Taxes: Here’s How Much Extra You’d Take Home If You Make $125K a Year
Essentially, taxpayers who might already be reluctant to pay what they owe the federal government could be emboldened by a hampered and diminished IRS that continues to lose the very agents who are tasked with keeping high-end taxpayers compliant with what they owe the federal government. Ultimately, the impact of losing these auditors could have the very opposite effect of DOGE’s stated goals to save the government money — by encouraging taxpayers to disregard what they owe, as there simply aren’t enough IRS agents to enforce America’s tax code.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
Story ContinuesMore From GOBankingRates
7 McDonald's Toys Worth Way More Today
4 Companies as Much as Tripling Prices Due To Tariffs
6 Hybrid Vehicles To Stay Away From in Retirement
Are You Rich or Middle Class? 8 Ways To Tell That Go Beyond Your Paycheck
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The IRS Lost a Third of Tax Auditors Due to DOGE Cuts: How This Could Impact Taxpayers
The content is for reference only, not a solicitation or offer. No investment, tax, or legal advice provided. See Disclaimer for more risks disclosure.
The IRS Lost a Third of Tax Auditors Due to DOGE Cuts: How This Could Impact Taxpayers
One of the more controversial (and potentially consequential) aspects of President Donald Trump’s second administration is the formation and implementation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an organization created to eliminate waste and supposed fraud within the federal government. Led by Elon Musk, one of DOGE’s major targets has been the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Advertisement: High Yield Savings Offers
Earn 4.10% APY** on balances of $5,000 or more
View Offer ### Earn up to 4.00% APY with Savings Pods
View Offer ### Earn up to 3.80% APY¹ & up to $300 Cash Bonus with Direct Deposit
View Offer Powered by Money.com - Yahoo may earn commission from the links above. Read Next: How Paychecks Would Look in Each State If Trump Dropped Federal Income Tax
For You: Mark Cuban Says Trump's Executive Order To Lower Medication Costs Has a 'Real Shot' -- Here's Why
Per CBS News, one of DOGE’s stated goals is to cut 40% of the IRS workforce. Thus far, via both “deferred resignations” and layoffs, the IRS has lost approximately 11% of its workforce in 2025. Of those IRS agents who are no longer with the agency, some 3,600 are auditors — meaning the IRS has now lost about a third (31%) of its auditors since Trump’s inauguration in January. This major loss of auditors could impact taxpayers in a significant way, such as the one below.
A Perception of Lighter Consequences
Typically, the IRS losing a large number of auditors would diminish the government’s ability to collect taxes. As Emily DiVito, senior advisor on economic policy at the Groundwork Collaborative, said to CBS News, the government is losing trained staff essential to maintaining compliance for corporate and high-income taxpayers. DiVito added that, consequently, when taxpayers — particularly those most unwilling to pay — come to believe there is little chance of facing consequences for not paying or not filing, noticeable changes in their behavior can occur.”
Check Out: Trump Wants To Eliminate Income Taxes: Here’s How Much Extra You’d Take Home If You Make $125K a Year
Essentially, taxpayers who might already be reluctant to pay what they owe the federal government could be emboldened by a hampered and diminished IRS that continues to lose the very agents who are tasked with keeping high-end taxpayers compliant with what they owe the federal government. Ultimately, the impact of losing these auditors could have the very opposite effect of DOGE’s stated goals to save the government money — by encouraging taxpayers to disregard what they owe, as there simply aren’t enough IRS agents to enforce America’s tax code.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
Story ContinuesMore From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The IRS Lost a Third of Tax Auditors Due to DOGE Cuts: How This Could Impact Taxpayers
View Comments