High-Income Earners Should File Back Taxes or Risk IRS Audit

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IRS audits aren’t new and recent news is no exception. Due to an influx of funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the federal tax agency has been cracking down on high-income and wealthy individuals who owe tax debt.

The compliance initiative targeting high-earning non-filers comes after an IRS warning for wealthy, high earners earlier this year. As Kiplinger reported, the IRS foretold increases in audits, levied penalties, and encouraged taxpayers to file their back taxes before the agency filed for them.

Now, six months later, the IRS has made good on its promise: expanded efforts to reclaim tax debts from high-earning, non-filing taxpayers are on the horizon.

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Is the IRS cracking down on high-income earners?

If you earn between $400,000 and $1 million and still need to file a tax return, you may be chosen by the IRS for audit. The tax agency has found thus far:

1,600 individuals when the initiative began last fall
An additional 125,000 non-filers in February

The agency also said it has prioritized individuals owing $250,000 or more in tax debt.

The IRS is looking as far back as 2017 for overdue taxes.

Before the IRA, the IRS cited underfunding and a lack of resources as reasons the agency couldn’t follow up on its initiative to pursue back taxes. Now billions in funding have made this compliance initiative a reality. The IRS reports that nearly 80% of the initially identified non-filers have now made a payment to the tax agency.

Will the IRS audit everyone? Last week, In a press conference in Austin Texas, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the launch of audits of “the 60 largest corporate taxpayers, with average assets of $24 billion.” The IRS will also audit “76 of the largest partnerships” and crack down on the “abuse of corporate jets for personal travel.”

This comes nearly 18 months after a rumor, spurred by some Congressional lawmakers, claimed that 87,000 IRS agents would be coming for your tax dollars. But, it turns out, only some of that is true. Instead of thousands of agents, only dozens are coming. And they’re prioritizing the wealthy and those with higher incomes.

How does the IRS find people who don’t pay taxes?

The agency received third-party information to isolate individuals owing tax debt. This includes documents like Forms W-2 and 1099. These IRS forms can indicate when there is reportable income but no corresponding taxpayer return.

Additionally, the IRS has assigned dozens of senior employees to track back tax cases to recoup lost revenue.

How do you pay back IRS taxes?

If you still need to file an old federal tax return, there is still time. The IRS has mailed out compliance alerts for failure to file a tax form, known as a CP59 notice.

If you’ve received a CP59 notice, you might want to consult a tax professional on filing back taxes. The IRS has provided resources on how to file a back return.

You can also make payments on past due returns via bank account, credit or debit card, and apply for a payment plan through the IRS website or your IRS online account.

You may want to ask a qualified and trusted tax professional about these options as well.

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Kate is a CPA with experience in audit and technology. As a Tax Writer at Kiplinger, Kate believes that tax and finance news should meet people where they are today, across cultural, educational, and disciplinary backgrounds.