Â鶹ŮÓÅ

Taxpayers are facing the worst service from the Internal Revenue Service since at least 2001, with more than half of callers unlikely to get through to the agency and average hold times of 30 minutes or more, according to a new government report. ... In addition to congressional budget cuts pushed by conservative Republicans in recent years, the agency also faces heavier workloads stemming from Mr. Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act, as well as new reporting requirements for foreign financial accounts, the report said. (McKinnon, 1/14)

The IRS is cutting taxpayer services just as President Barack Obama's health law is making filing a tax return more complicated. The agency blames budget cuts enacted by Congress. An IRS watchdog says service problems at the tax agency will make complying with the law harder for well-intentioned taxpayers. (1/15)