Taxpayer Advocate Urges ‘Apology Payments’

[flashl]

Taxpayers who endure excessive expense or drain on their time when the Internal Revenue Service mishandles a case should receive “apology payments” of up to $1,000 each, the national taxpayer advocate told Congress on Wednesday.

The advocate, a position Congress created in 1998, also said a new taxpayer bill of rights should be enacted, one that includes a list of responsibilities requiring taxpayers to conduct themselves honestly and to cooperate with auditors and tax collectors.

Nina E. Olson, the taxpayer advocate, in her annual report on the most serious problems faced by taxpayers, also said that the I.R.S. could use technology to apply the tax system to the underground or cash economy, where small entrepreneurs work for unreported pay. She said that by tracking credit card spending, state sales tax reports and other records, the I.R.S. could identify who collects this cash.

Ms. Olson estimated that the government could collect $100 billion more each year from those who evade taxes by dealing in unreported cash. That would be enough for honest taxpayers to receive a 10 percent cut in their income tax bills.

NY Times - Read Full Text

Yeah, I can see Congress jumping right on that recommendation.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Hmmm, I thought she was advocating

that Bush refund everyone $1M to apologize for the Iraq War.....

[flashl]

2. That would work.

[crazymans economics]

3. I thought it was Wall Street refunding all the money it's stolen from average folks

[AnneD]

4. From your mouth

to God's ear.