The Internal Revenue Service has announced a raft of changes for the 2025 tax filing season to help combat scams and fraud, following false claims on social media.
Why It Matters
The misinformation meant thousands of taxpayers filed inflated refund claims—for Fuel Tax Credit, Sick and Family Leave Credit and household employment taxes—during the past tax season, according to the IRS, leading to refunds being delayed.
False claims risk well-meaning taxpayers financial penalties, while often benefiting unethical tax preparers.
The new changes come ahead of the opening of the tax season on Monday, January 27.
What to Know
The IRS said in April that it had seen an “increased number of fictitious claims for fuel tax credits,” with so-called “ghost preparers” pushing people to take advantage of tax credits and benefits they don’t qualify in exchange for a fee.
Tax officials hope the new changes, detailed below, will help counter the practice.