NT: IRS Response TIGTA Conference Report

[Guest Taxed]

Perhaps the House Republicans should also consider the cost saving in recent years when they publish their report??

I like the part that the upgrades were complimentary. Some of us have been lucky enough to get a free upgrade when we travel, I bet some of those same Republicans who are making such an issue of this got a few complementary upgrades?

Now don't flame me that this is political it says NT.

IRS Key Facts: TIGTA Conference Report

While it had been the practice of the Internal Revenue Service to periodically conduct training meetings of a national scale, under the leadership and increased scrutiny of the Treasury Department, the agency has dramatically cut the number of meetings involving travel since 2010. We did not hold any similar, large-scale nationwide meetings like these in 2011, 2012 or 2013, and we do not have any plans to do so going forward.

While there were legitimate reasons for holding the meeting, many of the expenses associated with it were inappropriate and should not have been incurred. Taxpayers should take comfort in knowing that these kinds of expenses are no longer permitted and such a conference would not take place today.

IRS Cost Savings

• The IRS has achieved $1 billion in budget cuts and efficiencies since 2010.

• Travel and training expenses are down more than 80 percent since 2010:
  • In FY 2010, large conference costs were $37.6 million.
  • In FY 2011, large conference costs were $6.2 million.
  • In FY 2012, large conference costs were under $4.9 million.

• The IRS has also increased the use of virtual meetings and trainings to cut costs:
• In FY 2010-2011, the IRS achieved a 51 percent savings in training related travel.
• In FY 2011-2012, the IRS achieved an additional 35 percent savings in training related travel.

• Additionally, paid outside speakers are no longer being used at IRS conferences and trainings.

Anaheim Conference

• The conference trained 2,600 managers from 350 offices around the country.

• The group trained, the Small Business/Self Employed Division, accounts for the majority of the $50 billion collected in annual IRS enforcement revenue each year.

• The purpose of this meeting was to ensure that managers had proper training to lead their employees and adapt to significant changes that were occurring. At the time of this conference, almost 30% of the SB/SE managers were either new to the division or new to management within the prior two years.

• The focus of the meeting included employee safety and security training due to a substantial increase in security threats following the suicide attack on an IRS facility in Austin earlier in the year.

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Report

• The TIGTA review found no instances of fraud or misconduct.

• It is also important to note that many of the issues raised in the report, such as the use of event planners, the receipt of room upgrades, and the welcome reception and breakfast provided by the hotel, were complimentary and did not entail the use of any additional government resources.

[Guest Taxed]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was on Foxnews wanting to abolish the IRS??

I think he just moved to the front of the line with Tea party activists!

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) will have to up him now??

[kcjenkins]

Entertainer and PJTV pundit Alfonzo Rachel is crying foul…and possibly racism. Rachel is a black conservative living in California. His popular video rants typically cover topics such as big government and faith.

While his latest video is no different, it took a more personal turn when Rachel revealed he had been targeted by the IRS and the California state tax board. Apparently the IRS has forbidden Rachel from owning a savings account after they notified him that he made too many transfers from savings to checking (seriously?). Now the author and musician can ONLY hold checking accounts.

That in itself is outrageous (the government can tell you what kind of bank account you can and can’t own?) but the outrage doesn’t end there. Recently Rachel awoke to discover the California state tax board had completely drained his checking account of every dime…without warning, notification or even any charges.

In the video Rachel says he’s not sure if the IRS is behind it yet, “but I do know California is big on hating Republicans. And California is big on the state and federal government taking from others.”

Could this be yet another ripple in the growing IRS scandal? If it is politically motivated, could there be an element of racism as well? Rachel discusses at length the Democrat’s history of using organized political groups to harm and bully black Americans, and draws a loose comparison here using the left’s own rules of accusations of racism.

In an interview Rachel told me, “I don’t know if this is the IRS’ [doing] but they’re still in violation of the supreme law of the land by depriving me of my property without due process. They punished me before charging me.” He went on to say that while he was very angry at first he was humbled as he heard about the children lost in the Moore, Oklahoma tornado.“God was like, what did you lose? So I’m not mad about the money. I’m angry about an audacious government that insists on making us subjects. That’s the sickening part.”

The longtime musician maintains he knows of no violations on his part and is completely clueless as to why the state “burglarized” his account.

Could the fact that this publicly outspoken black man enthusiastically exposes the racist origins and Marxist values of the Democrat party be in any way responsible for this sudden violation? Is this racially motivated? Politically motivated?

A month ago those questions would have been perceived by most people as hilariously paranoid.

• Kira Davis
• On June 6, 2013

[Catherine]

Alfonzo Rachel is a talented man and I love his video commentaries (see them at PJ Media; free registration required after watching a limited number of videos). It is disgusting that this happened to him -- or anyone. Fifth Amendment: "...nor be deprived of life, liberty, or PROPERTY, without due process of law..." (caps added).

[kcjenkins]

The thing that blows my mind is the idea that the IRS [or any gov agency, for that matter] could tell any citizen, "You are not allowed to own a savings account".

On what grounds? Why? He "made too many transfers"???? So trying to maximize his interest earned in a time of extreme low interest rates is wrong? Why? Thats taxable income, the IRS should like that, shouldn't they?

[Jack from Ohio]

IRS regs & rules - Common Sense = oxymoron.

[Guest Taxed]

The thing that blows my mind is the idea that the IRS [or any gov agency, for that matter] could tell any citizen, "You are not allowed to own a savings account".

On what grounds? Why? He "made too many transfers"???? So trying to maximize his interest earned in a time of extreme low interest rates is wrong? Why? Thats taxable income, the IRS should like that, shouldn't they?

Are you guys sure that Alfanzo is not making this up as a joke? I mean these guys need the attention to make a living!

IRS would be stupid to tell a taxpayer that they can't have a savings account. Why? What does a Savings Account have to do with tax law enforcement? Does he owe Fed or state back taxes?

If this was indeed true he should have been at the House hearings with his new attorney Jay Sekulow and join the lawsuit against IRS.

[Jack from Ohio]

Are you guys sure that Alfanzo is not making this up as a joke? I mean these guys need the attention to make a living!

IRS would be stupid to tell a taxpayer that they can't have a savings account. Why? What does a Savings Account have to do with tax law enforcement? Does he owe Fed or state back taxes?

If this was indeed true he should have been at the House hearings with his new attorney Jay Sekulow and join the lawsuit against IRS.

In light of what has surfaced lately concerning information requested from targeted groups, this would not surprise me.

[jainen]

>>outrageous (the government can tell you what kind of bank account you can and can’t own?)<<

My guess is political rhetoric twisted the facts concerning FDIC coverage for "non-interest bearing transaction accounts." My guess is he wanted government insurance for accounts that didn't qualify.

>>is completely clueless as to why the state “burglarized” his account.<<

As B. Jani says in another thread, "client should open their mail."

[SaraEA]

"Clients should open their mail" says it all. I've had quite a number of new clients in the past few years who showed up because (a) their paychecks were attached for back taxes, (b ) liens were placed on their property and now they wanted to sell, or (c ) their bank accounts were "burglarized." There was also one (d) IRS showed up at his house. Most come in with a handful of IRS notices, but you can tell by the dates and progression that they have a few dozen more at home somewhere. The one thing they all have in common is they think that if they ignore the letters the problem will go away.

Of course gov't attaches bank accounts with no notice (other than multiple ones saying you owe $X and need to pay up). What are they supposed to do? Send a warning that on Monday June 10 they will drain your account? Undoubtedly you'll be the one to drain it before that day dawns.

I seriously doubt that race has anything to do with it. I have never used tax software that required me to enter a taxpayer's race, or gender either for that matter.

[Guest Taxed]

For some people the only way they pay attention to resolving this problem is when their bank account is levied!

i bet we will hear the real story after all the media hype about IRS settles down. Now it is sensational.

Don't you think his lawyers would have sued the bank if his account was "drained of the last dime without notice" illegally?