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An Internal Revenue Service program designed to prevent fraud costs taxpayers roughly $18.2 million per year, but doesn’t work, according to the taxpayer watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste.

In 1994, in an attempt to catch fraudulent tax returns, the IRS created the Electronic Fraud Detection System. In 2009, the IRS began to modernize this system by working on the Return Review Program to replace it.

"Despite the recognized need to get the [Return Review Program] in place in a timely manner, the program is still in development, and is now estimated to be completed in 2022," the watchdog group explains. "The program is also ineffective."

In 2015, the inspector general found that the program missed 54,175 fraudulent returns that totaled $313 million. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office found that the program incurred cost overruns and surpassed its initial budget by $86.5 million.

"On far too many occasions, the federal government tries to build IT systems, particularly software, that is available in the private sector at a lower cost," the group says. "As the IRS continues to process tax returns, it should provide a better return on its efforts to prevent the filing of fraudulent returns. The best way to accomplish that goal would be to immediately seek out and utilize existing, successful platforms in the private sector."

According to the inspector general, the program could cost taxpayers $18.2 million per year if it does not set a termination date for the program due to additional operation and maintenance costs.

"During the 2015 tax season, only 38 percent of phone calls were answered, as the IRS hung up on more than 30 million taxpayers," Citizens Against Government Waste said. "The tax code and tax regulations combined are more than 70,000 pages long. Annual compliance with IRS paperwork takes 8.9 billion hours and costs the economy $409 billion in lost productivity."

"Now taxpayers can add another reason to this (partial) list of complaints about the IRS and the tax code," the group said. "A program intended to uncover and prevent the filing of fraudulent tax returns has failed to perform as expected. If taxpayers are going to be overburdened when they attempt to pay their fair share of taxes, they should expect the IRS to be vigilant about making sure that the system is fair for everyone."

(Thanks barry)

 

http://freebeacon.com/issues/i...million-doesnt-work/

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My IRS experience this year.  I wondered about a $1000 credit. I went to the Florence office and asked, was told, no you can't.  I kept thinking about it and called 1-800- IRS and asked, was told, yes you can. I sent it in, got a letter back that said, (in so many words) you don't know much about math. You added and subtracted wrong, you're getting an extra $500back. So much for the mean ole IRS. They got me $1500 more than I first anticipated.

Kraven posted:

An Internal Revenue Service program designed to prevent fraud costs taxpayers roughly $18.2 million per year, but doesn’t work, according to the taxpayer watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste.

In 1994, in an attempt to catch fraudulent tax returns, the IRS created the Electronic Fraud Detection System. In 2009, the IRS began to modernize this system by working on the Return Review Program to replace it.

"Despite the recognized need to get the [Return Review Program] in place in a timely manner, the program is still in development, and is now estimated to be completed in 2022," the watchdog group explains. "The program is also ineffective."

In 2015, the inspector general found that the program missed 54,175 fraudulent returns that totaled $313 million. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office found that the program incurred cost overruns and surpassed its initial budget by $86.5 million.

"On far too many occasions, the federal government tries to build IT systems, particularly software, that is available in the private sector at a lower cost," the group says. "As the IRS continues to process tax returns, it should provide a better return on its efforts to prevent the filing of fraudulent returns. The best way to accomplish that goal would be to immediately seek out and utilize existing, successful platforms in the private sector."

According to the inspector general, the program could cost taxpayers $18.2 million per year if it does not set a termination date for the program due to additional operation and maintenance costs.

"During the 2015 tax season, only 38 percent of phone calls were answered, as the IRS hung up on more than 30 million taxpayers," Citizens Against Government Waste said. "The tax code and tax regulations combined are more than 70,000 pages long. Annual compliance with IRS paperwork takes 8.9 billion hours and costs the economy $409 billion in lost productivity."

"Now taxpayers can add another reason to this (partial) list of complaints about the IRS and the tax code," the group said. "A program intended to uncover and prevent the filing of fraudulent tax returns has failed to perform as expected. If taxpayers are going to be overburdened when they attempt to pay their fair share of taxes, they should expect the IRS to be vigilant about making sure that the system is fair for everyone."

(Thanks barry)

 

http://freebeacon.com/issues/i...million-doesnt-work/

It would have all it could handle if it actually wanted to stop fraud. Start with it's own employees.

giftedamateur posted:
Kraven posted:
giftedamateur posted:
Kraven posted:
Liberals will file three or four times, jt probably didn't file once
under his own name and why should he, republicans pay the
taxes anyway.
 
that bad azz rain is starting up now, shutting down.........

Keep it there.

Look for it around 2pm.

Liike a democrat it was all wind and very little else.

Ain't fair, I lost power, tv, and two knock out rose's. wind blew
down my mongolian maple tree and killed my Korean blood
hound dog. It was a **** eating dog, so I named it mobama.
I hate it when the TV's out.........   
Last edited by Kraven
giftedamateur posted:
Kraven posted:
giftedamateur posted:
Kraven posted:
Liberals will file three or four times, jt probably didn't file once
under his own name and why should he, republicans pay the
taxes anyway.
 
that bad azz rain is starting up now, shutting down.........

Keep it there.

Look for it around 2pm.

Liike a democrat it was all wind and very little else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtOrSdcArDI

 

Better keep that letter. If, you are audited and found to be in error, the IRS won't charge you a penalty.

I don't think I'll get an audit. I don't have any deductions, short form, standard deduction. The stuff in question was child care stuff cause I have legal custody of a grandchild and don't have any earned income. All my income is rocking chair money. Also, a case of lousy math.

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