
Skipping your tax return due to IRS cutbacks? Here’s why that could cost you big time
Will IRS cutbacks mean fewer tax return enforcements?
As of February 14, the IRS had received about 5% fewer individual returns compared to the same period last year, according to the agency’s latest filing statistics. Some taxpayers may believe the IRS’s reduced workforce means less enforcement, but experts say that assumption is risky.
Josh Youngblood, an enrolled agent and owner of The Youngblood Group, a Dallas-based tax firm, said some of his clients have asked if filing is necessary this year. “I’m concerned we’re going to see more of this,” Youngblood said, pointing to IRS layoffs and discussions about eliminating the agency altogether.
The uncertainty follows mass layoffs at the IRS, prompted by federal spending cuts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Additionally, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News that President Donald Trump is considering abolishing the IRS and replacing it with tariffs. While these political shifts are making headlines, taxpayers should not assume the IRS will stop pursuing non-filers.
What happens if you don’t file your tax return?
Failing to file your tax return comes with serious consequences. The IRS imposes a “failure to file” penalty, which is 5% of the unpaid tax per month, up to a maximum of 25%. This penalty is significantly higher than the “failure to pay” penalty, which is only 0.5% per month.
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