IRS Funding Boost Risks Falling Short With Pandemic Hurdles

A $409 million boost to fund the IRS will help pay for much-needed customer service, enforcement, and IT improvements, but still likely falls short of what the agency needs as it deals with a growing taxpayer base and challenges from the coronavirus pandemic.

The $11.92 billion appropriation for fiscal year 2021—up from $11.51 billion in 2020—is a welcome increase for an agency that has grown used to modest budget increases or cuts in recent years. Still, it is slightly less than the $12 billion baseline budget proposed at the beginning of the year by President Donald Trump and backed by ...