The IRS Makes Another House Call

[question everything]

A WSJ editorial detailing a "house call"

In a Friday letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan demands answers about a bizarre and disturbing IRS house call. The letter recounts that on April 25 a Marion, Ohio, taxpayer received a visit from a man who claimed his name was “Bill Haus” and worked in the IRS criminal division.

Mr. Haus said he needed to talk to her about an estate for which she was the fiduciary. She let him in despite having received no prior IRS communication. Mr. Haus claimed she had not properly filled out estate forms and owed the IRS “a substantial amount.” Only when the taxpayer presented proof of paying all taxes on the estate did the agent reveal that his visit wasn’t about the estate at all. It was about several supposed delinquent tax returns related to the decedent of the estate.

https://archive.is/qhRdv

To this two professors from Radford and Case Western Reserve universities replied:

While we agree the “Bill Haus” case is bizarre (“The IRS Makes Another House Call,” Review & Outlook, June 17), it affords us the opportunity to learn about Internal Revenue Service procedures. First, Congress gave IRS personnel the option to use pseudonyms in 1998. If Rep. Jim Jordan has a problem with the law, he should introduce a bill to change it.

Second, special agents from IRS Criminal Investigation don’t investigate dead people or collect delinquent taxes. “Mr. Haus” will probably be identified as a revenue officer—an unarmed, civil-side employee.

Third, IRS personnel aren’t required to notify taxpayers before visiting their homes or businesses.

Fourth, Mr. Jordan is unlikely to get answers from the IRS unless the constituent who filed the original complaint waives her privacy rights.

This incident doesn’t change the fact that the IRS needs more resources to close the $450 billion tax gap, the difference between what taxpayers should legally pay but don’t.

Robert Warren and Timothy Fogarty

Springfield, Va., and Cleveland

[choie]

1. IRS makes house calls???

[choie]

2. with all due respect

maybe they (the IRS) should go after more heavy hitters instead of low hanging fruit.

[walkingman]

3. I totally agree they should go after the big boys but I don't think anyone

should be above the law.

Hopefully the IRS funding recently passed will help investigate the greedy bastards. With all of their resources I am sure the big boys are a much more complex cases.

The GOP efforts to stop the IRS funding are obviously about protecting their deep pocket donors.

[stopdiggin]

4. +1. I'm really not against any sort of reasonable

enforcement (or investigation) actions. And I'll include people in all income groups in that sentiment. Completely fed up with people, and politicians (who are mostly people) using taxes, and the IRS, as the bogeyman.

Stop being a cheat! (and this includes the 'small businessman' - who are often cheating the pants off everyone in sight) And we 'justify' a lot of this (to ourselves) with "well, everyone else is doing it .." particularly the 'big guys.' No - they aren't. Truth is, there are plenty of people out there that are paying their full and fair share ... And not bitching about it!

So ... Pay your damned taxes!
And support the IRS in their efforts to get your neighbor (and brother in law) to pay!