The Internal Revenue Service has launched a nationwide campaign to address widespread IRS taxpayer confusion ahead of the 2025 filing season. The agency’s new outreach plan focuses on simplifying tax communications, expanding free assistance programs, and helping qualifying taxpayers better understand refundable tax credits that continue to cause processing delays and refund backlogs.
The IRS has announced a significant expansion of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, making free tax help more accessible nationwide. These programs support millions of low-income taxpayers and seniors each year by helping them accurately prepare their taxes and claim eligible credits.
According to IRS data, more than 72,000 IRS-certified volunteers will assist at over 9,000 VITA sites across the United States during the 2025 tax season. The agency also allocated $28 million in funding for Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) to expand free representation and educational outreach.
“Taxpayers should know that help is available at no cost,” said IRS Commissioner Billy Long. “Our certified volunteers meet IRS standards for training and accuracy so every qualifying taxpayer can file correctly and confidently.”
The expansion includes enhanced services for taxpayers with limited English proficiency, ensuring they receive assistance in their preferred language. This includes materials translated into multiple languages and bilingual IRS partners at select locations.
The IRS has also expanded its network to include agricultural employers, recovery startup businesses, and community organizations that often struggle to determine eligibility for tax credits or prepare tax returns independently.
Households earning $64,000 or less are eligible for free tax preparation through VITA sites. The TCE program serves taxpayers aged 60 and older regardless of income.
Both programs provide electronic filing, audit guidance, and assistance with both federal and state returns. Volunteers also help clients identify credits such as the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit, which many eligible taxpayers miss each year.
A key element of the new initiative focuses on the persistent confusion surrounding refundable tax credit claims. The IRS continues to face a backlog of 1.2 million employee retention credit claimed filings, many of which have been delayed for more than a year. These delays have affected businesses awaiting refunds tied to qualified wages and gross receipts calculations.
Erin M. Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate, addressed the issue in her 2024 Annual Report to Congress. “Taxpayers continue to face uncertainty and frustration as they wait for answers,” Collins wrote. “The IRS must balance enforcement with education so that taxpayers can understand how to claim legitimate credits without unnecessary delays.”
To address these challenges, the IRS has committed to redesigning its official notices and correspondence to use plain language. The agency also plans to upgrade its digital tools, allowing taxpayers to check their refund status, verify filing information, and download necessary forms more easily.
Educational campaigns are also being developed to explain eligibility for the Employee Retention Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and other refundable tax credits. The IRS partners with VITA volunteers to conduct workshops nationwide, helping taxpayers avoid common errors in reporting income and determining qualified wages.
Tax counseling remains central to the IRS’s new strategy. The agency is updating its online publications, including Publication 3415, to make complex concepts easier to understand for all taxpayers. These updates include step-by-step guides to determine filing status, set up direct deposits, and claim eligible refunds.
Local IRS partners will also expand outreach to agricultural employers, small business owners, and low-income individuals who may not speak English as their primary language. The effort supports multilingual communication and collaboration with nonprofits to ensure every eligible person has access to accurate tax information.
According to the IRS, the campaign’s goal is not only to improve taxpayer service but also to rebuild trust by emphasizing education, clarity, and transparency in every taxpayer interaction.
“Educational programs and accessible tax counseling are essential to ensuring compliance through understanding, not fear,” said Collins. “By making the process simpler, we reduce errors and help taxpayers succeed.”
Commissioner Long added that the IRS is investing in new technology to reduce wait times and improve refund processing. “We are committed to providing every taxpayer with clear communication and the assistance they need to meet their responsibilities,” he said.
Experts who work with community VITA programs have welcomed the changes. Many tax preparers say the expansion will help first-time filers and qualifying taxpayers who struggle with forms or digital filing systems. “These programs give confidence to people who would otherwise pay high fees for basic filing help,” said a VITA coordinator in Chicago.
For millions of Americans, the IRS’s campaign could make the 2025 filing season more straightforward. Expanded free tax assistance programs will help reduce filing errors, expedite refunds, and ensure that low-income taxpayers and small business owners can claim the tax credits to which they are entitled.
The IRS expects the new communication and outreach tools to cut average processing times and improve service for those who have faced delays, particularly in areas affected by employee retention credit backlogs.
As the 2025 filing season approaches, IRS officials emphasize that addressing taxpayer confusion is an ongoing priority that will require cooperation between the agency, Congress, and local partners to ensure every taxpayer can file accurately and confidently.
By William Mc Lee, Editor-in-Chief & Tax Expert—Get Tax Relief Now
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