IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel said that with a boost in federal funding and the help of artificial intelligence tools, the agency has new means of targeting wealthy people who have “cut corners” on their taxes.

“If you pay your taxes on time it should be particularly frustrating when you see that wealthy filers are not,” Werfel told reporters in a call previewing the announcement. He said 1,600 millionaires who owe at least $250,000 each in back taxes and 75 large business partnerships that have assets of roughly $10 billion on average are targeted for the new “compliance efforts.”

  • wrath-sedan@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Grover Norquist, who heads the conservative Americans for Tax Reform, said the IRS’ plan to pursue high wealth individuals does not preclude the IRS from eventually pursuing middle-income Americans for audits down the road.

    Lol love the complete lack of evidence with just a big ol dose of non sequiter fear-mongering, they MIGHT come for you next!!

    • 🐱TheCat@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      how is it any different from now, when they come after us and NOT the rich? Like we never stopped getting policed that was rich privilege only, and only because of the complicated tax structures that open up to you once you start a business that has some cash throughput

      total fear-mongering like you say

      • wrath-sedan@kbin.social
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        Yeah the tax structure already favors the wealthy in many ways, so the idea that more enforcement of existing laws on the higher end is somehow hurting the middle class is just laughable.

      • utopianfiat@lemmy.world
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        They were coming for middle class people because we can’t afford audit defense, or massive bullshit campaigns like “omg they’re targeting conservatives!!”

        • HoustonHenry@lemmy.world
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          They targeted the poorest of us, because they are severely underfunded, the IRS cant afford extended litigation. They poor can’t afford to fight back, you’re 100% right

    • CafecitoHippo@lemm.ee
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      Okay. Audit me. I have W-2 wages and take a standard deduction. Like why are every day people afraid of being audited.

      • SheeEttin@lemmy.world
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        Because it’s a huge hassle and you could end up being fined if they find something they don’t like.

        • CafecitoHippo@lemm.ee
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          The vast majority of people do not have tax returns complicated enough to be worried about an audit. If you’re going through the process of itemizing your deductions, keep your receipts and have stuff saved and backed up. It’s not hard.

          If you’re lying on your taxes hoping you don’t get audited, that’s your problem. The same way if you’re driving 20 over the speed limit and get a ticket. You knew the risk and did it anyways.

          • solstice@lemmy.world
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            The speeding analogy is my go-to example. Many people go a little bit over and it’s not a huge deal. Some people go 20mph under and they’re just weird. Sometimes jerks get away with going 100mph and then you get a ticket for rolling a stop sign. Is what it is, most reasonable people are fine, or you can roll the dice and see what happens.

    • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
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      I love that Republicans seem to have fully embraced a fear campaign based in the idea that if the rich can be forced to obey the law that yOu mIghT bE nExT as though they aren’t also the people who gave police broad, sweeping powers to kick in our doors for any or no reason, to seize our money and then make us prove that we didn’t commit crimes to get it, to engage in warrantless mass surveillance, to establish huge swaths of America where the 4th amendment just doesn’t count if you “look like an illegal immigrant”, to establish fetus checkpoints at state borders, to make a dog’s opinion legally admissible in court if and only if that dog thinks you’ve committed a crime, and they’re trying to let the police into your bedroom to make sure you’re fucking correctly (in a cishet christian way).

      We who have been overpoliced our entire lives know what they mean when they say “they might come for you next”. They mean that the police might overstep their bounds as thieftakers and thugs to keep the minorities in line and start coming for Real Americans (cishet white men) just because of a few little felonies.

      • solstice@lemmy.world
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        100% agree, these are the same people who said about the patriot act that if you don’t have anything hide you’ve nothing to be afraid of. Or, he should have just complied or he wouldn’t have been murdered by the cops. Etc

    • lazyvar@programming.dev
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      Love the fear mongering for something that A) already happens, B) shouldn’t be an issue for people that are in the up and up and C) should be music to the ears of members of the “law and order” party.

    • solstice@lemmy.world
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      I didn’t catch that part at first. Give me a friggin break. What a load of FUD.

      These are probably the same people who say if you don’t have anything to hide you’ve nothing to be afraid of.