IRS: Cheaters Never Win in Public Opinion
An IRS Oversight Board annual survey for 2005 indicates that tax compliance has reached new highs in popularity for the seven-year period surveyed. 88% (about seven of eight) consider cheating on income taxes unacceptable (vs. 86% the year before). 30% would be willing to turn in tax cheats, vs. 24% the year before. The survey also found support for greater IRS funding; 67% favored extra funding for customer service and 63% favored extra enforcement spending. The one (slightly) down note, satisfaction with interactions with IRS, though at 78%, was slightly down from 2004.
Probably the biggest surprise to me was the willingness of those surveyed to turn in tax cheats; in general, society seems to be very opposed to "snitching." Call me a cynic, but I think that there may be either a bias or a NIMBY effect as well on tax compliance; this level of support for tax compliance does not easily square with the tax gap numbers which have been in the news recently.
Probably the biggest surprise to me was the willingness of those surveyed to turn in tax cheats; in general, society seems to be very opposed to "snitching." Call me a cynic, but I think that there may be either a bias or a NIMBY effect as well on tax compliance; this level of support for tax compliance does not easily square with the tax gap numbers which have been in the news recently.
posted by Dan Meyer at 8:52 AM
1 Comments:
I concur. I know I won't and wouldn't want to snitch on a friend.
For so many reasons, being accused as a snitch would be bad enough. Family and friends would look at you with distruss from that day going forward.
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