‘kryptonite:’ irs buried under 8 million paper returns

2025 season leaves 8.2 million unprocessed returns and a backlog of 750,000 correspondence cases.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

despite modernization efforts, the irs is drowning in paper, which the national taxpayer advocate calls the agency’s “kryptonite.”

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during the 2025 filing season, the irs scanned fewer than 1 percent of paper-filed forms 1040, falling drastically short of its paperless processing initiative goals. this continuing reliance on paper adds months to the processing cycle. in addition to return delays, it clogs the system for identity theft resolution, amended returns, and refund claims, each requiring manual review. for tax professionals, the paper problem means longer timelines, more uncertainty, and higher support costs.