Compliance & Enforcement News

Fiscal Year 2012 Enforcement and Service Results
The Fiscal Year 2012 Enforcement and Service Results provide the dollars collected from the examination (audit) and collection functions of the IRS. The results also tally various taxpayer assistance program results.

FY 2011 Enforcement Results
FY 2011 IRS Enforcement and Service Results.

FY 2009 Enforcement Results
The IRS FY 2009 Enforcement and Service Results detail the agency's audit, collection and taxpayer service efforts.

Tips for Choosing a Tax Return Preparer
FS-2012-5, January 2012 — If you pay someone to prepare your tax return, the IRS urges you to choose that preparer wisely.

IRS Releases New Tax Gap Estimates; Compliance Rates Remain Statistically Unchanged From Previous Study
IR-2012-4, Jan. 6, 2012 — The Internal Revenue Service today released a new set of tax gap estimates for tax year 2006. The tax gap is defined as the amount of tax liability faced by taxpayers that is not paid on time.

IRS Office of Professional Responsibility Prevails on Appeal Against CPA
IR-2011-48, April 25, 2011 — IRS Office of Professional Responsibility prevailed in an agency appeal against a Florida certified public accountant, according to the published Decision on Appeal.

IRS Begins Enforcement of New Return Preparer Rules
IR-2011-47, April 25, 2011 — The IRS is taking steps to stop tax preparers with criminal tax convictions or permanent injunctions from preparing tax returns.

How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer and Avoid Preparer Fraud
FS-2010-03, January 2010 — IRS fact sheet on how to choose a tax return preparer and avoid preparer fraud.

How to Choose a Tax Preparer and Avoid Preparer Fraud
FS-2009-7, January 2009 — Taxpayers should put as much care in choosing a preparer as they would a doctor or lawyer.

Tax Return Preparer Fraud
FS-2008-10, January 2008 — Get hints from IRS on how to choose a reputable tax preparer.

Department of Justice News Release on Suit against Five Jackson Hewitt Outlets
April 3, 2007 — The U.S. Government Sues Jackson Hewitt Tax Preparation Franchises in Four States, Alleging Pervasive Fraud.

Fraudulent Telephone Tax Refunds, Abusive Roth IRAs Top Off 2007 “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams
IR-2007-37, Feb. 20, 2007 –– Also new to the "Dirty Dozen" are abuses involving the American Indian Employment Credit, domestic shell companies and structured entities.

IRS Moves to Prevent Telephone Tax Refund Abuse; Help Taxpayers Make Accurate Requests
IR-2007-27, Feb. 7, 2007 — The Internal Revenue Service announced today it is taking additional steps to prevent abuse by tax preparers and help taxpayers make accurate requests for the one-time telephone excise tax refund.

Statement of IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson on the FY 2008 Budget
Feb. 5, 2007 — The president’s 2008 budget request for the IRS, together with the accompanying legislative proposals concerning tax administration... will do much to promote compliance with our tax law.

Tax Return Preparer Fraud
FS-2007-12, January 2007 — Taxpayers should use caution when engaging professional tax return preparers and learn the warning signs of potential fraud.

IRS Accepts Settlement Offer in Largest Transfer Pricing Dispute
IR-2006-142, Sept. 11, 2006 — IRS has reached a satisfactory settlement in a transfer pricing dispute with Glaxo SmithKline in the largest tax dispute in the IRS's history.

IRS and States Join Forces to Combat Money Laundering
IR-2006-70, April 27, 2006 — Thirty-three states and Puerto Rico have signed agreements with the IRS to share Bank Secrecy Act information on money services businesses.

IRS Debunks Frivolous Arguments on Paying Taxes
IR-2006-45, March 16, 2006 — The IRS today issued updated guidance describing and rebutting frivolous arguments taxpayers should avoid when filing their tax returns

IRS Updates Tax Gap Estimates
IR-2006-28, Feb. 14, 2006 — The revised tax gap estimate is $345 billion for tax year 2001. The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers timely and voluntarily should have paid and what they did pay.

IRS Improves Enforcement and Services in 2005
Prepared remarks by IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson reqarding new Fiscal Year 2005 data that show improvements in enforcement and services to taxpayers.

IRS Launches Abusive Transaction Settlement Initiative
IR-2005-129, Oct. 27, 2005 — Internal Revenue Service officials today announced a broad-based, limited-in-time opportunity for taxpayers to come forward and settle an array of transactions the IRS considers abusive.

KPMG to Pay $456 Million for Criminal Violations
IR-2005-83, Aug. 29, 2005 — KPMG LLP (KPMG) has admitted to criminal wrongdoing and agreed to pay $456 million in fines, restitution and penalties as part of an agreement to defer prosecution of the firm, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

Robust Response for Executive Stock Option Initiative; Son of Boss Settlement Heading for $4 Billion
IR-2005-72, July 11, 2005 — IRS officials announced today that they received a strong turnout for the executive stock option settlement initiative launched in February.

IRS Collects $3.2 Billion from Son of Boss; Final Figure Should Top $3.5 Billion
IR-2005-37 — Abusive transaction aggressively marketed to wealthy individuals. Settlement required taxpayers to concede 100 percent of claimed tax losses.

IRS Obtains More Than 100 Injunctions Against Tax Scheme Promoters
FS-2005-15 — Many of the injunctions order promoters to turn over client lists and to cease preparing federal income tax returns for others.

States See Son of Boss Benefits; Tax Administrators Praise Efforts
FS-2005-13 –– States are beginning to see results from the IRS Son of Boss settlement initiative. California and New York have also conducted compliance initiatives.

Understanding the Tax Gap
FS-2005-14 — The tax gap measures the extent to which taxpayers do not file their tax returns and pay the correct tax on time.

Report on IRS Review of Alleged Political Campaign Intervention 2005
The Treasury Inspector General reports that IRS properly ran its program for investigating claims of inappropriate political campaign actions by tax-exempt organizations.