IRS ramping up to collect hundreds of billions in unpaid taxes with new funding boost
Just read an article about how the IRS is planning to go after unpaid taxes in a big way. They're expecting to collect hundreds of billions of dollars that people and companies haven't been paying, all thanks to some major new funding they received. I'm a small business owner with a few independent contractors, and this has me worried about my own tax situation. I've always tried to be honest with my filings, but I know there are some gray areas where I might have been aggressive with deductions. With all this talk about increased enforcement, should I be concerned? Has anyone heard about what kinds of taxpayers they're targeting first? I've heard they're focusing on high-wealth individuals and large corporations, but I'm wondering if small businesses like mine will also face increased scrutiny. I make about $175,000 annually through my business before expenses. Should I be looking back at my previous years' returns and possibly filing amendments if I find issues?
18 comments


Zara Perez
The IRS is indeed ramping up enforcement with their new funding, but there's no need to panic if you've been making good faith efforts to report correctly. The primary targets are high-wealth individuals (typically $400,000+ income), large corporations with complex structures, and those with international holdings or cryptocurrency investments. Small business owners should take this as an opportunity to ensure compliance moving forward rather than worrying excessively about past returns. The standard lookback period for audits is typically three years, though it can extend to six years if there's a substantial underreporting of income (25% or more). If you genuinely believe you've made errors on past returns, consulting with a tax professional about amendments might be wise. However, honest mistakes differ from willful evasion, and the IRS recognizes this distinction.
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Daniel Rogers
•What about people who do gig work? I drive for a delivery app and I'm always confused about what expenses I can deduct. Will they be looking at people like me more closely now too?
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Zara Perez
•Gig workers are not the primary target of the increased enforcement efforts, but maintaining good records is still important. You can generally deduct business expenses that are "ordinary and necessary" for your delivery work. This typically includes a portion of your vehicle expenses (either standard mileage rate or actual expenses), phone costs related to the app usage, insulated bags, and other equipment needed for deliveries. The best protection is to keep detailed records of your income and expenses. Take photos of receipts, track your mileage with an app, and maintain a separate business account if possible. These practices make it easier to substantiate your deductions if questions arise.
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Aaliyah Reed
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Ella Russell
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Mohammed Khan
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Aaliyah Reed
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Mohammed Khan
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Gavin King
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Nathan Kim
•How does this actually work? The IRS phone system is notoriously bad, so I'm confused how any service could get you through faster than just calling yourself.
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Eleanor Foster
•This sounds like a scam. Why would I pay some random company when I can just keep calling the IRS myself? They probably just keep trying the number for you, which anyone could do. I doubt they have some special "backdoor" to the IRS.
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Gavin King
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Eleanor Foster
I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After commenting earlier, I actually ended up receiving a notice from the IRS claiming I underreported some investment income. I tried calling for two days straight and couldn't get through - kept getting the "due to high call volume" message and disconnected. Out of desperation, I tried the service and got connected to an IRS rep in about 30 minutes. The agent was able to pull up my account, see that I had actually reported the income correctly (just on a different form), and resolved the issue immediately. I hate admitting I was wrong, but in this case, being able to actually speak to someone quickly saved me a lot of stress. With the IRS ramping up enforcement, I imagine their phone lines are only going to get busier.
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Lucas Turner
I think people are overthinking this whole IRS enforcement thing. If you're not a millionaire hiding assets in offshore accounts, you're probably not their primary target. They're looking for the big fish, not someone who might have taken a slightly too large home office deduction. The funding they got is specifically aimed at going after wealthy tax dodgers and corporations that use complex schemes to avoid paying their fair share. That's where the real money is, not nickel-and-diming small business owners and regular W-2 employees.
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Kai Rivera
•While they might be targeting the ultra-wealthy first, don't be naive. Once they ramp up enforcement capabilities and hire more auditors, those resources will eventually trickle down to auditing middle-class folks too. The IRS has always had a higher audit rate for lower-income taxpayers claiming EITC than for many millionaires.
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Lucas Turner
•That's a fair point about historical audit patterns, but the specific language in the funding legislation directs resources toward high-income individuals and corporations. The Treasury Department has explicitly stated they won't increase audit rates for households making under $400,000 compared to historical levels. You're right that we should stay vigilant though. The best approach is to keep good records, report honestly, and be prepared to substantiate your claims if questioned. The goal isn't to scare people, but rather to collect from those who have been intentionally avoiding their obligations for years.
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Anna Stewart
Has anyone heard if the increased enforcement will affect processing times for regular tax returns? Last year it took 4 months to get my refund, and I'm worried that if they're focusing resources on enforcement, regular processing might take even longer.
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Layla Sanders
•Actually, part of the funding is supposed to go toward modernizing their systems and improving customer service. In theory, this should make processing faster, not slower. My tax preparer told me they're already seeing improvements in processing times compared to the covid backlog years.
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