IRS Compliance

One of the goals of the IRS, it announced, is to bring delinquent taxpayers into compliance with their return-filing and tax-paying obligations.  The IRS will also use data analytics, research, and new compliance strategies—including personal visits—to reach taxpayers and return preparers who have not filed tax returns. 

Strategies include holding income tax refunds when a taxpayer has at least one unfiled return in the five years surrounding that return, sending letters alerting taxpayers to potential liability if the IRS has to file a return for them, and automatically filing the return for them, which frequently results much higher tax, due to the disallowance of deductions.            

In addition, the IRS reminded taxpayers that many non-filers were actually owed refunds, and they were also encouraged to look into filing their tax returns.  The deadline for claiming refunds on 2016 tax returns is April 15, 2020.