The segment discusses the general dislike for the IRS, especially during tax season, highlighting the public's frustration with taxes and the IRS's poor customer service. It also touches on the IRS's budget cuts, staffing issues, outdated technology, and the importance of its role in the government's functioning despite its unpopularity. The piece concludes with a humorous skit to acknowledge the IRS's necessary function in society.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Tax season officially begins on April 15th.
2. The IRS has a difficult time keeping up with the 579 changes made to the tax law in one year.
3. The IRS has been the subject of public anger, with some state governors publicly demonizing them.
4. The IRS has been compared to the Gestapo by Governor LePage.
5. The IRS YouTube channel features videos of employees talking about their jobs, showing a more human side to the organization.
6. The IRS has a massive amount of paperwork to process, with some people sending in unusual items like mustard, dust, and even a dead fish.
7. The IRS has a limited budget, which has been slashed by nearly 20% since 2010.
8. The IRS has lost over 13,000 employees between 2010 and 2014.
9. The majority of IRS employees are over 50 years old, with only 650 employees out of 87,000 being 25 or younger.
10. The IRS uses outdated technology, with almost half of all tax data existing on magnetic tape and cartridge systems developed in the 1960s.
11. The IRS is one of the safest investments for public money, with every dollar spent on tax enforcement yielding back $6.
12. The tax system is built on trust, and if people lose faith in the IRS, the whole system is in trouble.
13. A 1% decline in the compliance rate costs the government $30 billion annually.
14. The IRS is responsible for collecting $3 trillion in revenue each year through a voluntary compliance system.