Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T01:59:22.914Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3 - How Inexpensive Administration Creates Expensive Challenges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2019

Michelle Lyon Drumbl
Affiliation:
Washington and Lee University, Virginia
Get access

Summary

Chapter 3 addresses the ways in which EITC delivery and administration are problematic and challenging, both for the government and taxpayers. A major challenge with self-declaration is the persistently high overpayment rate. This chapter seeks to distinguish between intentional and unintentional taxpayer noncompliance, and describes the tension between accurate outcomes and inexpensive administration. The IRS relies on return processing filters and an inefficient automated examination process to pursue questionable EITC claims. A significant percentage of taxpayers chosen for audit prove to be eligible for the credit. However, the confusing and inefficient examination process creates untimely delays in benefit delivery, and sometimes eligible taxpayers are unable to prevail in an audit because of systemic barriers. Other issues related to delivering EITC as a tax refund include return preparer misconduct, predatory lending practices related to return preparation, and tax-related identity theft.

Type
Chapter
Information
Tax Credits for the Working Poor
A Call for Reform
, pp. 46 - 82
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×