A Different Type of "Tweet"--Whistleblowers and the IRS

A report from the Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration (TIGTA) found that a new whistleblowing program developed less than three years ago is having problems with timely processing, internal controls and documentation of questionable tax behavior. The program, which allowed whistleblowers up to 30% of added taxes collected, received almost 1900 claims in 2008. TIGTA found that the presence of three separate inventory systems has contributed to processing delays and inaccuracies. Additionally, the underlying legislation was faulted for failing to provide sufficient employment protections for whistleblowers.

Since I do not work for the IRS, I cannot tell whether legislation flaws, inefficient monitoring systems, dubious claims or IRS management deficiencies has caused the sluggishness in the whistleblower program. Hopefully, the audit points mentioned in the TIGTA report will be taken seriously and IRS will improve its performance.