President Barack Obama proposed increasing the budget for the Internal Revenue Service by 9.4 percent to hire more than 5,000 new employees, most of whom would pursue tax cheats. The president’s fiscal 2012 budget released today sets funding for the tax-collection agency at $13.3 billion, an increase of $1.1 billion from 2010, the last time a full appropriation was made for the IRS. Almost half of the increase, or $460 million, would support the agency’s tax-enforcement programs. Under the plan, the IRS would focus on fighting tax evasion through the use of offshore accounts and cheating by corporate and high-wealth taxpayers. It also would seek out fraudulent tax preparers. [Bloomberg]
Related Posts
IRS Agent/Hero Thwarts Robbery Attempt, Shooting Suspect
- Caleb Newquist
- August 5, 2010
This guy/gal is going to get a big slap on the back from Doug Shulman:
An Internal Revenue Service criminal investigations special agent shot and wounded one person during an apparent robbery attempt in San Francisco’s Bayview District overnight, police and an IRS spokeswoman said.
Our hero was apparently on duty at the time which, apparently, isn’t strange:
[IRS Spokeswoman Arlette Lee] said agents are on call 24 hours.
“It is not unusual for IRS agents to be out at different times of the morning or evening,” Lee said.
Lee said IRS special agents carry firearms but could not immediately confirm that the agent involved in the shooting had fired a service weapon.
In other news, IRS Agents also eat but are impervious to coffee.
IRS agent shoots suspect during robbery attempt [Mercury News]
The IRS Did the Exact Opposite of What Chuck Grassley Wanted
- Caleb Newquist
- June 22, 2010
“These changes appear to be limiting the scope of whistleblowers and the type of recoveries that would be eligible for an award. The fewer people eligible for rewards, the fewer people coming forward with information that might check out as tax fraud.”
~ Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), wants more whistleblowers to get paid.
The IRS Is Ruining Its Weekend Plans for the Sake of the American Taxpayer Again
- Caleb Newquist
- May 3, 2010
The April 15th deadline has come and gone but that does not mean the IRS’ work is done. In fact, getting money in the Treasury Department’s door is a 24/7/365 sorta deal and in case you didn’t notice, there’s a bit of a deficit problem.
Accordingly, the IRS has decided to host open houses at 200 facilities in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico on May 15th from 9 am to 2 pm local time (locations here). IRS staff will be there to help individuals and small businesses sort out any issues they may have (See? Filing that extension was a good idea).
This marks the second time in 2010 that the IRS has opened its arms to public on the Sabbath, having done so on March 27th. According to the Service, that particular National Day of IRS Friendliness was a resounding success, with 88% of taxpayers getting their issues resolved that day.
Doug Shulman all but assures your satisfcation in the press release, “Our goal is to resolve issues on the spot so small businesses and individuals can put any issues they have with the IRS behind them. If you have a problem filing or paying your taxes or resolving a tough tax issue, we encourage you to come in and work with us.”
Okay, maybe it’s not exactly a 100% money-back guarantee but the Service is going to work their cans off to get you in compliance and cutting a check that day. Unless of course you’re a Tea Party type trying to get on the six o’clock news, in which case you’ll be dealt with in a swift and decisive manner.
Open House on Saturday May 15 to Help Small Businesses, Individuals Solve Tax Problems [IRS.gov]