Fewer IRS Audits Predicted for 2015

In an email to employees, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said the IRS will not be able to close as many audits in 2015 due to the agency’s budget cuts. With a reduction in enforcement personnel (they announced a hiring freeze in December), he indicated that there will likely be at least 46,000 fewer individual and business audit closures and more than 280,000 fewer collections from automated notices or field revenue agents. Additionally, two furlough days for IRS employees in 2015 may be planned. Furthermore, aging information technology systems will not be replaced, which could delay new taxpayer protections against identity theft. This announcement comes on the heels of a budget reduction for the agency of $346 million during the remaining nine months of the fiscal year ending 9/30/15, which, according to the Commissioner, is the lowest funding since 2008.