Ways and Means Democrats Seek Information on Backlog of Retirement Processing for IRS Employees

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) wrote to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Acting Commissioner Scott Bessent after reports of backlogs in the processing of retirement for IRS employees who participated in the Deferred Resignation Program 2.0 (DRP). Specifically, Tax Notes reportedthat as of early December 2025, the IRS had a backlog of 7,300 retirement applications.

“Our offices are hearing from constituents who participated in the Deferred Resignation Program 2.0 (DRP) and have not received their annual leave or annuity payments,” The lawmakers wrote. “Traditionally, after retiring, IRS employees receive their final paycheck and annual leave within a few weeks. The delay in processing and payouts has caused suffering and real financial hardship."

The Ways and Means Democrats requested a response from the IRS by February 17, 2026, to a series of questions, including how many retirement applications have been reviewed by the IRS to date, what the current backlog is of retirement applications waiting for review, and when the IRS expects to finish reviewing applications in the backlog, amongst other urgent questions. 

Read the full letter to Acting Commissioner Bessent HERE. 

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