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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Has the Biden administration sought funding for nearly 87,000 new IRS employees?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

In May 2021, the Biden administration proposed funding increases for the IRS, including funding for 86,852 new agency employees.

The Treasury Department said the hiring is needed because of expected departures of current employees along with growth in enforcement and customer service responsibilities. The department says understaffing, along with outdated technology, contributes to the large-scale tax avoidance in the U.S.: 15% of owed taxes go uncollected, causing an estimated $600 billion in lost revenue annually.

In response to Republican objections on privacy grounds, the department clarified that audit rates would not rise for those making under $400,000 per year. Instead, the IRS will "target enforcement actions where they belong: on higher earners who do not fully report their tax liabilities" given that "the tax gap is more concentrated toward the top of the income distribution."

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
US Treasury The American Families Plan Tax Compliance Agenda
US Treasury The Case for a Robust Attack on the Tax Gap
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.