In a report released today, the inspector general said attrition and a heightened workload have combined to leave the IRS understaffed. The new hires in the agency’s small business and self-employed division resulted in a net gain of just 580 revenue officers by the end of fiscal 2010, according to the report. The IRS watchdog predicted a net gain of 127 revenue officers by the end of fiscal 2012. The study could affect the debate over funding for the agency. It comes two days before IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman is scheduled to testify before a congressional panel on the agency’s budget. The inspector general warned that, unless the IRS is fully staffed, compliant taxpayers are at a disadvantage. “If the IRS does not have a sufficient number of qualified” revenue officers, the report said, “it could create an unfair burden on the majority of taxpayers who fully pay their taxes on time.” [Bloomberg]
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Hollywood Discovers the Comedic Gold Mine That Is the IRS
No not a feature film. Introducing more than thirty minutes (we assume) of Doug Shulman would be too much for boob-tube enthusiasts to bear.
Ron Howard’s production company, Imagine Entertainment, is scheduled to shoot an unnamed pilot for Fox that will center around an IRS district office. It will star David Krumholtz, of Numb3rs fame, who will play Spencer, an agent who is “trying to find nobility in his work.”
This already sounds hilarious. Not to mention that the mere thought of accountants with guns is hysterical. Plus, the fact that the IRS Commissioner doesn’t prepare his own tax return because he thinks the tax code is too complex is just one example of the real sitcom that is the IRS.
Plus the writer of the pilot is Brent Forrester, a current writer and producer for The Office so we’re guaranteed the awkward scenes will be authentic in both words and actions.
The Hollywood Reporter states that the IRS sitcom is “Howard’s first passion series project since the Emmy-winning ‘Arrested Development,'” so now we’re double-excited. The subject matter on its own is hysterical but if you add Arrested Development passion with The Office awkwardness, plus the Numb3rs guy? This might be best non-Jack Bauer reason to watch Fox.
[h/t TaxProf Blog]
The IRS Could Use a Hand Here
Specifically, because a lot of taxpayers could…uh, use a hand here: A new report from […]
The IRS Is Taking Your Personal Information Seriously, Starting NOW.
Sometimes we wonder if the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) ever gets tired of telling the IRS that they are doing a lousy job at pretty much everything.
The latest finger wagging from the TIGTA in the Services’ direction has to do with following protocols for processing taxpayer requests for tax returns or transcripts:
Forty-three percent of taxpayer requests for copies of tax returns or transcripts were processed incorrectly or not in accordance with IRS guidelines…
The errors occurred because IRS employees did not always follow guidelines, or because the guidelines were unclear, inconsistent or insufficient in protecting taxpayer information. Existing guidelines allow IRS employees to process taxpayer requests for tax returns or transcripts without an accurate or complete Social Security number and to send copies of returns and transcripts to an address other than that provided to the IRS on tax returns.
Jesus, that’s reassuring. Naturally, the TIGTA is concerned about the American Taxpayer:
“Taxpayers have a right to expect that the IRS will take every measure to protect their tax return information from inappropriate disclosure,” said TIGTA Inspector General J. Russell George in a statement. “The protection of personally identifiable information is a responsibility that the IRS must take more seriously.”
First: judging by the IRS’ track record, they really don’t take anything too seriously, except, perhaps, anything to do with UBS.
Second: Taxpayers have rights? Since when? We’ve been bailing out banks and car companies and you’re concerned about our right to have our tax return information protected? That’s rich. We’ve all been violated to the point of numbness, J. Russell George. Next time, we’d prefer if you said, “The American Taxpayer can expect more of less from the IRS for the foreseeable future. We are in a constant quagmire over here. Please bear with us.”
Honesty. Consider it.
Tax Return Transcripts Expose Personal Information [Web CPA]