On September 11, 2017, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) issued its final report discussing IRS compliance activities through fiscal year 2016 (the federal government’s fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30). TIGTA compiles statistical information reported by the IRS and issues the report annually in response to continuing stakeholder interest in the analysis and trends in IRS Collection and Examination function activities. Here are the highlights:
- IRS Budget Increased, but Staffing Declined. Although the IRS budget increased in 2016, IRS staffing continued to decline. The budget increase was intended to improve customer service, prevent fraud and identity theft, and enhance cybersecurity to safeguard taxpayer data.
- The Number of Tax Returns Examined Declined. The number of tax returns examined in 2016 decreased approximately nine percent compared to 2015. The number of examinations conducted in 2016 is approximately 32 percent lower than the number conducted during 2012. The report attributes the significant reduction in the number of examinations over that time period to a continued decline in examination staffing, which reached a 20-year low in 2016.
Percentage Change in the Number of Field Examiners and Examinations Since FY 2012
Source: IRS Data Book and Table 37 Examination Program Monitoring
- IRS Issued Fewer Liens and Levies. The number of liens and levies issued continued to decline in 2016. The IRS issued its fewest amount of liens and levies since 2002.
- Payment Alternatives – Increase in Direct Debit Installment Agreements. The number of direct debit installment agreements (a payment option available to certain taxpayers who cannot fully pay their tax obligations on time) has increased by 128 percent since 2012. The increased use of this payment option is likely attributable to reductions in enforcement personnel and the need to efficiently and effectively collect outstanding tax liabilities.
- Legislative Initiatives. In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. The law contains two measures designed to assist the IRS in collecting delinquent taxes: (1) authorizing the use of private debt collectors for the collection of outstanding inactive tax receivables, and (2) authorizing the State Department to revoke, or deny, passports to taxpayers with seriously delinquent tax debt. The IRS began assigning cases to private debt collection agencies in April 2017. The IRS also worked to coordinate with the State Department to implement the passport revocation program. You can read more about the passport revocation program here and here.
You can read the full report here.