IRS Sees Path to Cut Lengthy Phone Waits, Massive Refund Backlog

There’s a glimmer of hope for frustrated taxpayers who have been unable to reach the Internal Revenue Service or have had their tax refunds held up by massive processing backlogs.

The IRS has a backlog of roughly 20 million returns, leaving some people waiting months or even years to receive refunds or resolve disputes. The agency said Thursday it hopes to get it below 1 million by the end of 2022.

The agency is rolling out new automated tools both on phone lines and online chat boxes to help people get answers to basic tax questions so they don’t need ...