Does the IRS still give a % of $ recovered when you turn in tax cheats?

[Atman]

Time to start making some calls and turning in all those dead beats and cheats living in OUR HOUSE for free. Those Congressmen living in their offices are receiving something of value and not paying taxes on it. They are NOT saving taxpayers a dime, they are cheating us.

Thanks to Lawrence O'Donnell for a brilliant segment last night.

[Fumesucker]

1. I know someone who tried to turn in a multi hundred thousand dollar tax cheat..

This person was managing a restaurant and all the cash receipts went into the owner's pockets, the person had tons of paperwork and proof of their claims..

The IRS couldn't have been less interested, despite multiple calls to them over a year's time the IRS never got back with the person I know..

Personally I wouldn't even bother trying, the most likely outcome of trying to turn in a tax cheat is that you lose your job or possibly end up in court yourself on some kind of bullshit charges.

[Historic NY]

2. I've had them several times write me checks back for money they took...

when I was disabled. It pretty scarey when then send you a letter informing you your owe them. I actually got the same guy on the phone twice call an 800 # several years apart. I thought they were hiring all these new agents to go after these cheats. I'll ask my buddy he is an agent and helped straighten out a couple of our old non-for-profits that needed to file. Imagine that I'm from the IRS and here to help.

Well it appears they do.....

http://www.irs.gov/compliance/article/0,,id=180171,00.html

The IRS Whistleblower Office pays money to people who blow the whistle on persons who fail to pay the tax that they owe. If the IRS uses information provided by the whistleblower, it can award the whistleblower up to 30 percent of the additional tax, penalty and other amounts it collects.

[Atman]

3. Good to see the ol' paperclip avatar still in use!

I started that one here on DU way back in the Dark Ages. Great story behind it. Glad it's still in use.

[mod mom]

4. not to mention SCOTUS court justices who haven't paid for their wife's income.

[yelligilli]

5. They only go after the little guy who owes - not the big fish.