IRS Picks Debt Collection Contractors.

[Lee B]

IRS Picks Private Debt Collection Contractors

 

The Internal Revenue Service has chosen four private debt collection agencies to help collect unpaid tax debts as the IRS gears up to resurrect the controversial program.

The four agencies are CBE Group of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Conserve of Fairport, N.Y., Performant of Livermore, Calif., and Pioneer of Horseheads, N.Y. The IRS is required to revive the private debt collection program this year because of a provision in a highway funding bill that Congress passed last December. The program is expected to start up again next spring.

[Abby Normal]

They've tried this twice(?) before and stopped both times because it cost more than it earned and made the public hate the IRS even more. Aggressive commission based collectors who actually phone taxpayers will be confused with the phone scams that are happening. I don't see how this can't be an even bigger disaster than the last time it was tried.