IRS Tax Audits and
Tax Under-Reporting Found
1999

(click here for 1997)

Return Type
Number of Audits
(thousands)
Percent
Dollars**
(millions)
Percent
Total
1,138
100%
$17,172
100%
Individual income tax returns
low/middle income*
85.3%
14.9%
---nonbusiness
857
$2,156
---business: schedule C
111
396
---farm: schedule F
3
9
high income*
11.2%
10.9%
---nonbusiness
80
1,176
---business: schedule C
45
645
---farm: schedule F
3
52
Corporate income tax returns
less than $250 million
36
3.2%
1,648
9.6%
$250 million or more
3
0.3%
11,090
64.6%

Source: TRAC analysis of Internal Revenue Service data

* low/middle income is less than $100,000 in total positive income or total gross receipts; high income is $100,000 or more.

**additional tax and penalties recommended.

Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, Syracuse University
Copyright, 2000