APR 14, 2026The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios
The IRS Shrank. Will That Lead to More Tax Cheating?
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The federal government has shrunk the IRS
“The Trump administration has shrunk the IRS.”
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Tax enforcement levels are scaling back
“The federal government has scaled back tax enforcement.”
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Audit frequency is expected to decline
“Leaving fewer federal employees to audit returns.”
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Debt collection staffing has been reduced
“There are fewer federal employees to collect unpaid tax debts.”
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Decreased oversight may encourage tax cheating
“The cutbacks could lead to more Americans skirting the tax law.”