IRS Adding Thousands of Auditors as It Prepares to Ramp Up Enforcement

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The Internal Revenue Service is already staffing up, hiring thousands of new auditors in preparation for a tax-enforcement push that’s a key financing element of President Biden’s infrastructure plan.

IRS officials said at a tax conference Friday that they are adding about 2,000 new employees, including 1,300 auditors, to the agency’s small business division and more than 500 workers to the criminal investigations divisions, Bloomberg’s Laura Davison and Genevieve Douglas report.

“The figures represent a significant hiring increase from recent years, when the agency has struggled to replace auditors who retired or left the federal government,” they write. “The additional staff could put the IRS in position to greatly expand audit capacity quickly if Congress is able to pass a bipartisan infrastructure investment plan, which includes $40 billion for the agency over a decade and is expected to generate $100 billion in net new tax revenue.”

Even without the infrastructure package, the IRS appears to be poised for a funding boost, as 2022 spending plans being considered by Congress call for a $1.7 billion budget increase to $13.6 billion.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/irs-adding-thousands-auditors-prepares-224855928.html

[captain queeg]

1. It's about time. Nt

[Blue_true]

9. My guess.

They go after everyday taxpayers that got behind on their taxes, many for understandable reasons. I seriously doubt that they will go after the rich tax cheats that can hire expensive tax lawyers.

Basically, they will be squeezing more blood out of the same old rock, while ignoring the blood bank next door.

[ecstatic]

2. smh. Just hold the mega corporations to the same standards. Get rid of all

the tax evasion loopholes. No need to waste time fighting the little guys.

[FoxNewsSucks]

3. As long as they are looking at $1million+,

and "zero tax" individuals, that's great. I've had enough of the squeezing blood from working Americans while the rich skate by with a free ride.

[Blue_true]

8. Exactly. nt

[lunatica]

10. I don't have to pay taxes

Kim on SS and a small pension, but I don’t make enough to pay taxes, Federal or State. I do have taxes taken out but I get them back.

I’m still waiting for my tax return for this year.

[KLRIQ2]

12. My direct family, my wife and I, nieces and nephews family, multiple cousins.....

Were all due refunds of varying sizes and none of them have seen any refund or even a move on their status. If the scope and scale is indicative, then the drag on the economy because of these delays has to be huge, as many at these levels often use refunds for bigger ticket consumer goods. Think tvs, washing machines, refrigerators.

[hlthe2b]

19. Exactly... Targeting those with little to nothing is just more punishment of the poor and shrinking

middle class. They may be the low-lying fruit, but with minimal options, what are they going to do? Imprison them all for being poor?

[Hoyt]

4. Totally for increased IRS budget, but unless tax laws are changed

Last edited Sat Jun 26, 2021, 12:58 AM - Edit history (1)

it won’t raise as much as some hope. But, it’s an important step.

[Skittles]

5. GO AFTER THE BIG GUNS

YES INDEED

[Azathoth]

16. Not gonna happen

You don't make money by auditing the Trumps of the world, who can tie you up for years and force you to spend more pursuing them than they will have to pay if you eventually catch them.

You make money by targeting the little guy who can't afford lawyers and accounting firms to fight an audit all the way through the Tax Court and beyond. You hit him with some small violation, pile on fines and interest, then dump him in collections and let him pay his eay out under threat of jail and a permanently ruined credit record. Easy, quick, requires minimal expenditures on your part, and can be repeated millions of times to quickly add up the earnings.

The town of Ferguson did something similar when they tried to close their budget gap by having the cops shake down the black community.

[ZonkerHarris]

6. Is General Electric a small business?

[Blue_true]

7. I just hope that they go after big tax cheats instead of people that they have

historically gone after.

[stopdiggin]

11. well overdue. we've been starving the IRS for far too long.

and if I can disagree (modestly) with some of my fellow posters - I don't necessarily want them to just target the high income and business/corporate return (although, admittedly, that is where the greatest 'bang for the buck' is found) - I happen to think the 'little guy' that is cheating on his taxes is a problem for the country as well. And also a bit of a scum bag? How about if 'everybody' is expected to pay their taxes instead?
------ ------

[Azathoth]

14. Dems 2024: We're gonna audit the little guy too

Jesus H. Christ

[stopdiggin]

20. I really do apologize

what could I EVER have been thinking?

I'm an advocate of auditing all levels of tax returns - and strict enforcement against cheating. Just not a fan of the idea that it's somehow okay to diddle the tax man. Large or small. And I think the people that engage in it are, well - 'cheats' - screwing over the rest of us. Maybe that makes me a small minded 'moralist.' On the other hand, you'll be happy to know that there's very little chance that I will be handling any 'messaging' for the 2024 campaigns.

----- --- --- -----

[Azathoth]

13. Yeah this ought to go over well

"IRS to ramp up audits to pay for Dems' spending bill"

I swear, we get what we deserve sometimes. While we're at it, maybe we could pass a bill that would ramp up compulsory root canals as well.

And please don't tell me this is "only for the billionaires", because

1) the targets of audits are selected by the IRS computer system, not Democratic appointees

2) having a policy of disproportionately targeting rich people for audits simply because they're rich raises genuine equal protection concerns

and most importantly

3) not a single American is going to hear the "billionaires" part after Foxworld gets done screaming about how the Dems are auditing grandma to pay for their "socialism".

[stopdiggin]

21. this is actually a case where enforcement

is necessary. And I find it interesting that you appear to be much more interested in the messaging here - than the fact that an arm of our government has become steadily less functional over the years. Dems do believe in functional government (and taxes going toward it?) I think? The message here is that audits should never have been, deliberately, allowed to fall off to the level they have.

On the other hand - if we're just gong to allow Tucker Carlson and Fox to run everything ...
Really no need for the IRS at all, right?

[dalton99a]

15. Focus on the rich parasites.

Make them pay their fair share.

[WarGamer]

17. Undoubtedly to pursue swimming pool cleaners and lanscapers.

I'll believe it when I see it the millionaires cry...

[ansible]

18. Yep, this is not gonna go well. We all know the real rich people will never have to worry.

[FelineOverlord]

22. IRS Adding Thousands of Auditors as It Prepares to Ramp Up Enforcement

They need to go after the Mercers.

https://bylinetimes.com/2020/12/01/the-tax-man-cometh-robert-mercer-william-barr-and-trumps-chinese-bank-account/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-moneymans-dollar7-billion-secret-war-with-the-irs