IRS: Taxpayers may face ‘major challenges’ this tax season

(KYMA, KECY/CBS) - The Internal Revenue Service warns of "major challenges" this tax season as there may be significant backlogs of returns from 2021.

Refunds might be delayed and the IRS also is facing staff shortages which may continue to affect when taxpayers will receive their payouts.

Lori Reed is a small business owner who has been going through hoops to track her refund check and mentions waiting for hours after trying to call an IRS agent.

"It's an enormous hassle and I think when you own a small business and you're trying to keep life running, you have this sort of burden, knowing that there's unfinished business," said Reed.

The agency has been experiencing a staff shortage of at least hundreds of employees.

Only about 11% of 282 million phone calls to the IRS were answered in 2021 only the few who were answered had to wait an average of 23 minutes.