WASHINGTON – Just as the 2026 tax filing season gears up, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is undergoing significant personnel and operational shifts aimed at enhancing taxpayer services and bringing the agency into the modern age, announced its head on Tuesday.

This announcement comes at a pivotal time, as the IRS braces itself to manage a flood of tax returns while also navigating significant changes in tax law introduced by the tax and spending package President Donald Trump approved last summer. Among these changes are new provisions for tax relief on tips and overtime, alongside new deductions for eligible older Americans.

In a communication directed to the IRS’s 74,000-strong workforce and obtained by The Associated Press, CEO Frank Bisignano outlined the agency’s updated priorities and a reshuffling of its executive leadership.

In particular, Gary Shapley, who gained attention as a whistleblower after publicly discussing investigations into Hunter Biden’s taxes and briefly serving as IRS Commissioner last year, has been appointed as deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation division. Guy Ficco, the current head of Criminal Investigation, will retire, and his role will be filled by Jarod Koopman. Koopman will also take on the responsibilities of chief tax compliance officer, working alongside Bisignano.

The letter further reveals that Joseph Ziegler, another whistleblower involved in the Hunter Biden case, has been appointed as chief of internal consulting.

Bisignano expressed his confidence in the new leadership team’s ability to ensure a smooth and effective tax filing season for Americans, stating, “With this new team in place, the IRS is well-prepared to deliver a successful tax filing season for the American public.”

The June National Taxpayer Advocate report to Congress warned that the 2026 season could be rocky after a series of mass layoffs last year brought on by the Department of Government Efficiency.

“With the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year’s filing season,” said Erin M. Collins, who leads the organization assigned to protect taxpayers’ rights.

Bisignano, who was named to his job in October, also serves as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

His main priorities for the IRS in 2026 include enhancing customer service, improving tax collections and safeguarding taxpayer privacy.

The IRS expects to receive roughly 164 million individual income tax returns this year, which is on par with what it received last year.

The average refund amount last year was $3,167, according to IRS data. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said on several occasions that the effects of Republican tax law will result in bigger refunds in 2026.