Ask AICPA: Is IRS Underfunded? Service Levels & The Tax Gap

Blake interviews Ed Karl, CPA & Vice President of Taxation at the Association of International Certified Public Accountants about Internal Revenue Service funding levels and the impact on both IRS service levels and the Tax Gap (the difference between what taxpayers should pay and what they actually pay on time). For years, service levels have been declining while the Tax Gap has been increasing, mostly due to unreported business income. A 2019 analysis by the IRS estimated that Americans report less than half of all income not subject to some form of third-party verification (such as a W-2). This year, unpaid federal income taxes could amount to more than $600 billion, and over the next decade, it could be as high as $7.5 trillion. Could increasing funding for the IRS help to solve both these issues? We discuss this and more in this in-depth interview.