It is believed that the IRS can track such information as medical records, credit card transactions, and other electronic information and that it is using this added data to find tax cheats.
Tax evasion is a felony, the most serious type of crime. The maximum prison sentence is five years; the maximum fine is $100,000. (Internal Revenue Code § 7201.) Filing a false return.
You could face civil penalties.
If you made a simple error and the IRS adjusted it, you might not have to pay any penalty. Bigger understatements mean bigger consequences. In this case, the most common penalties are: Negligence penalty: 20% of the additional tax.
Sometimes, though, people don't always strictly follow the law when filling out their tax return. Of course, there are out-and-out tax cheats who purposely avoid paying the IRS what they owe under the law. However, in most cases, people who don't pay all the taxes they legally owe do so unintentionally.
While the chances of an audit are slim, there are several reasons why your return may get flagged, triggering an IRS notice, tax experts say. Red flags may include excessive write-offs compared with income, unreported earnings, refundable tax credits and more.
And for good reason—failing to pay your taxes can lead to hefty fines and increased financial problems. But, failing to pay your taxes won't actually put you in jail. In fact, the IRS cannot send you to jail, or file criminal charges against you, for failing to pay your taxes.
Remember that the IRS will catch many errors itself
For example, if the mistake you realize you've made has to do with math, it's no big deal: The IRS will catch and automatically fix simple addition or subtraction errors. And if you forgot to send in a document, the IRS will usually reach out in writing to request it.
You cannot go to jail for making a mistake or filing your tax return incorrectly. However, if your taxes are wrong by design and you intentionally leave off items that should be included, the IRS can look at that action as fraudulent, and a criminal suit can be instituted against you.
In general, no, you cannot go to jail for owing the IRS. Back taxes are a surprisingly common occurrence. In fact, according to 2018 data, 14 million Americans were behind on their taxes, with a combined value of $131 billion!
The IRS does check each and every tax return that is filed. If there are any discrepancies, you will be notified through the mail.
You Claimed a Lot of Itemized Deductions
It can trigger an audit if you're spending and claiming tax deductions for a significant portion of your income. This trigger typically comes into play when taxpayers itemize.
Computer Data Analysis. The IRS uses an Information Returns Processing (IRP) System to match information sent by employers and other third parties to the IRS with what is reported by individuals on their tax returns.
If you do need to make a correction, file an amended tax return, also known as a Form 1040-X. You can use a 1040-X to submit additional or updated information to the IRS and to attach another form to your tax return. Pay any additional tax owed as quickly as possible to avoid accruing interest.
When it suspects a taxpayer is failing to report a significant amount of income, it typically conducts a face-to-face examination, also called a field audit. IRS agents look at a taxpayer's specific situation to determine whether all income is being reported.
The Short Answer: Yes. The IRS probably already knows about many of your financial accounts, and the IRS can get information on how much is there. But, in reality, the IRS rarely digs deeper into your bank and financial accounts unless you're being audited or the IRS is collecting back taxes from you.
The discriminant function system will also sniff out discrepancies in reported employee income. Employers must issue employees W-2 forms at year's end showing just how much they earned and how much was withheld from their paychecks for various taxes. And those employers must send a copy of each W-2 to the IRS as well.
If the IRS finds that you were negligent in making a mistake on your tax return, then it can assess a 20% penalty on top of the tax you owe as a result of the audit. This additional penalty is intended to encourage taxpayers to take ordinary care in preparing their tax returns.
Yes, the IRS can visit you. But this is rare, unless you have a serious tax problem. If the IRS is going to visit you, it's usually one of these people: IRS revenue agent: This person conducts audits at your business or home.
IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) serves the American public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law.
Here's what happens if you ignore an office audit:
You may have avoided the meeting, but you'll pay for it later in taxes, penalties, and interest. The IRS will change your return, send a 90-day letter, and eventually start collecting on your tax bill. You'll also waive your appeal rights within the IRS.
Audit trends vary by taxpayer income. In recent years, IRS audited taxpayers with incomes below $25,000 and those with incomes of $500,000 or more at higher-than-average rates. But, audit rates have dropped for all income levels—with audit rates decreasing the most for taxpayers with incomes of $200,000 or more.
Foreign or "offshore" bank accounts are a popular place to hide both illegal and legally earned income. By law, any U.S. citizen with money in a foreign bank account must submit a document called a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) [source: IRS].