Should the IRS Calculate Your Taxes? (Audio: Podcast)

In a pursuit to close the “tax gap”—the alleged tax revenue the federal government thinks it’s missing out on – the IRS has several times floated the idea that the IRS would calculate your taxes and then send you a tax form with the fields and amounts already filled out. This is a terrible idea because the IRS could be relied upon to calculate your tax liability in the way most favorable to them, not to you. IPI President Tom Giovanetti explains that our system of voluntary tax compliance, where the burden of proof lies with the IRS to challenge your tax calculations, is worth preserving. So when the IRS says it wants to make tax compliance easier, the solution is a simpler tax code, not IRS intimidation. With IPI Resident Schlar Dr. Merrill Matthews.