Trump’s hiring freeze could mean possible tax refund delays. What Kansans should know
President Donald Trump’s hiring freeze that includes Internal Revenue Service employees could mean Kansans might have to wait a little longer for their tax refunds.
It normally takes 21 days for the IRS to process tax refunds after paperwork is filed. In 2025, the IRS is expecting to process more than 140 million individual tax returns. But with the department facing possible staffing shortages, it could mean a longer waiting period for your refund, GoBankingRates reports.
Trump’s executive order started a hiring freeze and also removed any IRS job offers that would have started after Feb. 8. In addition to a hiring freeze, Trump also ordered all remote workers to return to the office.
The hiring freeze can only be lifted by the newly appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
So, what does this mean for Kansas taxpayers?
What Kansas taxpayers should know this tax season
Avoiding a late tax refund may be out of your hands, but the best thing you can do is to not delay and file your tax return as soon as possible.
Kansas is now one of 25 states where you can file your tax return straight to the IRS free of charge. You can also use websites like TurboTax, and other IRS-endorsed ones like FreeTaxUSA, TaxSlayer and TaxAct, which are cheaper than TurboTax.
There are also ways you can monitor your refund once you’ve filed.
You can use the IRS’ “Where’s My Refund?” tool to track your refund. All you have to provide is your Social Security number or your individual taxpayer number, your filing status and the amount of your refund.
For the state, you can check the status of your income tax and homestead refund, a rebate program for homeowners who paid property taxes before Jan. 1, 2024, by entering your Social Security number and the refund amount on Kansas Department of Revenue’s website.
The deadline to file your tax return is April 15.
This story was originally published February 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
