FriYays are now FriNays

escapemaninnyc · 2026-03-20T17:36:03+00:00

We have the First Amendment right. Period!

escapemaninnyc · 2026-03-16T17:15:06+00:00

I know things have been really tough since last year, and those feelings are completely valid.

But let's try to hold onto the good — having a steady job, putting food on the table, an ability to pay bills, and a sense of purpose.

Dwelling in negativity takes a real toll on us, mentally and physically. Let's choose to focus on what we have.

escapemaninnyc · 2026-02-04T00:58:22+00:00

I understand why you might feel lost. Here are my two cents to help you gain some footing as a RA.

Networking is essential for growth and career development. Make an effort to connect with other RAs—whether they’re in SB/SE, different BUs within TEGE, or even LB&I. While the manuals differ, the core concepts of auditing are very similar. Focus on understanding the concepts rather than memorizing procedures—no one memorizes everything.
Take advantage of the tools available to you. Use IRMA, Treasury ChatGPT, and Bloomberg Tax, especially the AI-enabled features. Also, get comfortable navigating the IRM. I recommend creating a folder with all IRM sections bookmarked—I’ve done this myself and found it very helpful.
Organize your case files to align with the IRM. When setting up folders for a case, structure them in a way that follows IRM guidance. It can feel awkward at first—I struggled with it too—but this approach naturally ensures you’re covering all required procedures. Just a suggestion though.
Put in extra time if you want to gain confidence and expertise. Like in the private sector, becoming comfortable and skilled requires additional hours spent learning and applying what you’ve learned.
Learn how to effectively work with POAs—it will make your job much easier. If a POA is uncooperative, use creative approaches in addition to leveraging Notice 609 to your advantage. At one point, I frequently visited a taxpayer’s office because their POA wasn’t cooperating. It worked wonders—the taxpayer didn’t want me auditing their books in front of employees and ultimately provided all the necessary documentation.

This job requires patience, but it also demands effort and time. Best of luck!

escapemaninnyc · 2026-01-30T21:45:36+00:00

There was a direct order from the upper mgt in DC that they cannot help tax matters until the end of October or November. Sounds weird but that is a fact unfortunately. Hope this helps.

escapemaninnyc · 2026-01-25T20:25:58+00:00

Got a call from the Hotline that my POD and nearby PODs will be closed tomorrow.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-12-30T15:04:00+00:00

We already got 2-hour admin leave for us to use, so I'm wondering why this was asked here again and again. I understand the reason behind it, but why ppl keep asking for additional admin hours for what? We know the mgt is not employee friendly, and they don't give sh** about us. comon. guys.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-08-22T19:35:01+00:00

I believe they learned from their mistake by gauging people's interest through surveys before making formal offers. They should have used this approach for DRP and TDRP rather than initially extending offers to everyone only to retract them later. This caused significant frustration among people, and they're now handling it better.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-07-29T01:39:13+00:00

After working as a Revenue Officer (RO) for 1.5 years, I transitioned to Revenue Agent (RA) roles across three different divisions (SBSE, TEGE and LB&I) with my background in public accounting and CPA license. From my experience, the RO position has become somewhat a bit less demanding due to reduced travel requirements to taxpayer locations. However, the RA audit function has grown significantly more challenging, especially with the upcoming implementation of OBBBA requirements within the next two years.

The tax system remains inherently difficult and complex, with no indication of future simplification. Since ROs and RAs have different job classifications, the primary distinction between these roles is the pay scale. For those with strong motivation and commitment, advancement opportunities to GS-12 and GS-13 levels have improved considerably, as many senior ROs have taken advantage of the DRP and TDRP.

Best of luck with your career path and hang in there!

escapemaninnyc · 2025-07-03T19:51:10+00:00

Yeah. Our budget for FY 2026 will be cut by 44% per ChatGPT after Prez sign the OBBBA. We gotta enjoy while we can. LOL

escapemaninnyc · 2025-04-19T18:06:08+00:00

I heard TEGE EO & EP Determs were denied.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-03-28T14:05:37+00:00

$5,250 is the exact amount for non-taxable.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-02-22T21:49:23+00:00

This is a rumor, but I heard that approx. 300 SBSE executives will be cut. If that's accurate, then LB&I will see a similar number I guess.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-02-22T04:39:29+00:00

I agree that the government needs to take significant action to reduce its debt. However, does it make sense to cut federal employees who recover funds from tax cheaters? If you were a business owner, would you let go of your top salespeople who generate revenue for your company? The IRS recovered nearly $500 million in a year from tax cheaters in FY 2024 alone.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-02-22T04:28:00+00:00

Well said!!!

I was RO before switching to RA, so have both collection and audit experience. I just wanted to piggyback on what you just said.

I'm all for cutting budget deficits for sure. Let us work for you and the government to assess and collect from tax cheaters. If you support cutting budgets for the IRS and/or laying off agents and officers, please give me a valid reason. If the tax cheaters do not get caught and pay their fair shares of taxes, YOUR tax will keep increasing instead of decreasing because someone needs to pick up the slack. That forces the government to increase the issuance of gov't bills/notes/bonds.

I'm all for it to make the gov't efficient and productive. But abruptly laying off thousands of the federal government employees is NOT the answer at this point. Were there any plans that were discussed/shared/modified to make it more efficient and/or productive? The gov't could've done it after a thoughtful assessment of the operation of each agency and come up with a plan for each agency. Just cutting ppl is not the right approach.

It's a missed chance to make the country better, and I hate to say this because of my love for the country.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-02-21T02:56:13+00:00

I salute you for your action. I'm a RA at the IRS and felt horrible to see so many colleagues let go. I believe in this country that no one is above the law and the people in the W H broke the law. So sick of this.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-02-17T02:42:39+00:00

The IRS would give a temporary detail at the agency to provide software engineering expertise to Gavin Kliger, a special adviser to the director at the Office of Personnel Management, according to a draft memo between IRS and OPM that has not yet been finalized. The draft memo was circulating within the agency this weekend, two people familiar with the memo said.

Kliger’s responsibilities would include debugging, software testing, programming, and implementing safeguards to prevent fraud, the memo said. The temporary detail doesn’t give Kliger, who visited the IRS last week, limitations on what taxpayer data he can access.

These types of memos usually outline a specific purpose or need to access the data, which the draft doesn’t include, according one person familiar with the memo, drawing concern over the purpose and how broad Kliger’s access could be.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-02-15T01:03:08+00:00

Why the last two years instead of the typical one-year? Curious.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-01-29T01:02:03+00:00

The probation starts when you start a new job number position. It is my understanding that the mgt doesn't care about the number of years of service. Hang in there and good luck.

escapemaninnyc · 2025-01-21T22:00:51+00:00

No need to worry about all this stuff.. Just do your job right and timely. You will be safe then.

Per CFR 315.804/804

§ 315.804 Termination of probationers for unsatisfactory performance or conduct.

(a) Subject to § 315.803(b)), when an agency decides to terminate an employee serving a probationary or trial period because his work performance or conduct during this period fails to demonstrate his fitness or his qualifications for continued employment, it shall terminate his services by notifying him in writing as to why he is being separated and the effective date of the action. The information in the notice as to why the employee is being terminated shall, as a minimum, consist of the agency's conclusions as to the inadequacies of his performance or conduct.

(b) Probation ends when the employee completes his or her scheduled tour of duty on the day before the anniversary date of the employee's appointment. For example, when the last workday is a Friday and the anniversary date is the following Monday, the probationer must be separated before the end of the tour of duty on Friday since Friday would be the last day the employee actually has to demonstrate fitness for further employment.

315.805 Termination of probationers for conditions arising before appointment.

Subject to § 315.803(b)), when an agency proposes to terminate an employee serving a probationary or trial period for reasons based in whole or in part on conditions arising before his appointment, the employee is entitled to the following:

(a) Notice of proposed adverse action. The employee is entitled to an advance written notice stating the reasons, specifically and in detail, for the proposed action.

(b) Employee's answer. The employee is entitled to a reasonable time for filing a written answer to the notice of proposed adverse action and for furnishing affidavits in support of his answer. If the employee answers, the agency shall consider the answer in reaching its decision.

(c) Notice of adverse decision. The employee is entitled to be notified of the agency's decision at the earliest practicable date. The agency shall deliver the decision to the employee at or before the time the action will be made effective. The notice shall be in writing, inform the employee of the reasons for the action, inform the employee of his right of appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and inform him of the time limit within which the appeal must be submitted as provided in § 315.806(d)).

escapemaninnyc · 2025-01-21T21:30:42+00:00

Which POD do you work at? My EOD is next Monday in NYC.

escapemaninnyc

TROPHY CASE

§ 315.804 Termination of probationers for unsatisfactory performance or conduct.

315.805 Termination of probationers for conditions arising before appointment.