IRS head announces a shake-up on the eve of the 2026 tax season

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 7:41 PM EST, January 20, 2026


WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before the 2026 tax filing season begins, the head of the IRS announced a shake-up Tuesday, saying the personnel and operational changes are intended to improve taxpayer service and modernize the agency.

The timing of the announcement coincides with a critical moment for the agency, as the IRS prepares to process millions of tax returns while simultaneously implementing major tax law changes under the tax and spending package President Donald Trump signed into law last summer. There are new tax relief provisions for tips and overtime, and new deductions for qualifying older Americans.

In a letter addressed to the agency’s 74,000 employees and viewed by The Associated Press, Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano announced new priorities and a reorganization of IRS executive leadership.

Notably, Gary Shapley, the whistleblower who testified publicly about investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes and served just two days as IRS Commissioner last year, was named deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division. Guy Ficco, the head of Criminal Investigation, is set to retire and will be replaced by Jarod Koopman, who will also serve as chief tax compliance officer alongside Bisignano. Joseph Ziegler, another Hunter Biden whistleblower, was named chief of internal consulting, the letter said.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/treasury-irs-tax-season-fd379f43d501d064cdad046eb32fb9f6

[twodogsbarking]

1. Turdotax is still waiting for direction from the IRS. Can't use it until it comes.

But yet they sell it.

[Exp]

2. Gov't by morons. nt

[Bayard]

3. Screwing up the IRS in time for tax season,

So it can be DOGE-d and turned over to private companies for profit.

[Rebl2]

9. Typical

of the government. Wait until last minute. Especially trumpy government.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. In what way was Shapley a "whistleblower"?

He accused others in the IRS of "slow-walking" an investigation into Hunter Biden; but I can't see that this was actually found to be true. I think "disgruntled IRS worker" is a more objective description.

[riversedge]

5. Its a title that Shapley calls himself. He wrote a book--something about Whistleblowers and the

Big Guys. but I admit I have not read it.

I think he loves to see himself as a victim--of what, I do not know.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Shame to see AP using it without qualification or explanation

Normally they're better than that.

[riversedge]

7. I agree, the article is very sparse with any information about why they refer to him

as a whistleblower.

Guess I am not all that interested --but will say that I think he is a troublemaker with a big ego.

[pat_k]

8. AI will be initiating audits against small business that earn less than 100,000

You can bank on it. Instead of major cheats, they'll target sole-proprietorships, cash businesses, and other small businesses with income as low as 10,000 or 20,000.

The primary reason being that immigrants are over-represented in small businesses (e.g., 23% to 24% of nonemployer businesses --sole proprietorships/firms with no employees).

It's another way to manufacture a pretext to go after "undesirable" legal immigrants.