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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (16335)	4/7/2010 5:29:27 PM
From: i-node	Respond to of 42652

To the very best of my knowledge, they don't do anything about those who don't file returns unless something triggers their interest. I did my dad's taxes for years until his income became too small to require filing. He was uncomfortable with just not sending in a return so I called IRS and asked if he needed to notify them and was told he didn't. No one ever asked why he stopped filing. There is no significant non-filers program today. Because of the plethora of 1099s and other information returns, it has become difficult for anyone who needs to file to escape filing. Non-filing amongst low-income earners actually saves the government money, since they are not getting their EITC welfare payment if they don't file. Most middle-to-high income individuals will have at least SOME information returns which would trigger at least a "letter-audit" if no return is received.

To: Lane3 who wrote (16335)	4/7/2010 9:44:56 PM
From: J_F_Shepard	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

"To the very best of my knowledge, they don't do anything about those who don't file returns unless something triggers their interest." Yes, like a 1099..

To: Lane3 who wrote (16335)	4/7/2010 10:14:03 PM
From: RetiredNow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

It's not a matter of letting people slide. It's a matter of getting the biggest bang for the buck when you audit returns. For example, the IRS has recently been going after high networth individuals. Are they just persecuting the wealthy? I'm sure that's the way the GOP will spin it. However, if I was in charge of the IRS and looking to boost IRS revenues, that's exactly what I'd do, because I'd bet that we can get more dollars back per audit targeting wealth taxpayers than if we went after poor ones. The IRS game is a simple one. Maximize tax revenues given the existing laws. So they'll do what it takes. Auditing and enforcing health care penalties is no different.