Jorge Castro, former Counselor to the IRS Commissioner and Congressional tax counsel, commented on the uncertain future of funding for the IRS following President-elect Trump's victory and Republican control of Congress. Castro said the IRS's modernization efforts, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), has benefited taxpayers, such as improved customer service and enhanced digital capabilities. He added that these positive outcomes may make it difficult for lawmakers to ignore the advantages of continued funding for the IRS. Castro suggests that constituents are already seeing benefits like shorter wait times and better access to IRS services, which could sway lawmakers despite earlier GOP objections when the IRA was passed. "I think it's been very clear that the IRS has moved the needle in its modernization, and they've been very clear about the benefits of it, which obviously impacts taxpayers across the country," Castro noted.