Staff Reports
The IRS, in a shocking display of liberality, has announced a move that will make conservative taxpayers’ blood boil. The agency is forgiving penalty fees for those who failed to pay back taxes totaling less than $100,000 per year for the tax years 2020 and 2021.
IRS waiving $1B in penalties for people, firms owing back taxes — here’s who qualifies https://t.co/Twf0wXHItT pic.twitter.com/UFO4D0UP9z
— New York Post (@nypost) December 20, 2023
This coddling of delinquent taxpayers is estimated to benefit nearly 5 million people, businesses, and tax-exempt organizations, with the majority earning less than $400,000 per year. And get this – it’s going to cost us taxpayers about $1 billion. That’s a billion dollars that could have been used for important things like national defense or border security. But no, the IRS is just giving it away to people who couldn’t be bothered to pay their taxes on time.
The IRS is claiming that the pandemic is to blame for this leniency. They say that they temporarily suspended sending out automated reminders to pay overdue tax bills during the pandemic, and now they’re using that as an excuse to waive the failure-to-pay penalties.
But wait, there’s more. The IRS is also putting a pause on sending out normal collection notices, as if they’re giving these tax dodgers a free pass. They’re calling it a “one-time relief” due to the pandemic, but who’s to say they won’t pull a stunt like this again in the future?
And to add insult to injury, IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel is telling reporters that taxpayers will get their refunds for the failure-to-pay penalty. He’s saying the IRS is on their side. Well, what about the side of hardworking, law-abiding citizens who pay their taxes on time?
This move by the IRS sets a dangerous precedent. It’s sending the message that it’s okay to not pay your taxes on time, and that’s just not right. Taxpayers should be held accountable for their obligations, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that the IRS is more interested in coddling delinquent taxpayers than upholding the principles of fiscal responsibility.
