I've always heard that the IRS is not actually a government agency.?

Question

Rather a private company subcontracted by the federal government. Is this true? I can't tell from their website.

Answer 1

I've heard Elvis is alive, so's Marilyn Monroe, and JFK among other rumors. IRS is a government agency. They do sometimes hire subcontractors to perform duties for them and have recently hired collection firms to collect on taxes owed. But they are government employees.

Answer 2

There are two words that describe that concept and the first one is bull.

Some illegal tax protest organizations have tried to convince people of this showing as proof, articles of incorporation of a tax return preparation company (like H&R Block) that was in business during the 1930s back when IRS was called the Bureau of Internal Revenue. It wasn't renamed IRS until 1953.

In the past few years IRS has subcontracted some delinquent accounts to private collection agencies but it has come under fire from congress because IRS employees can do the same job about 10 times cheaper. Congress authorized IRS to farm work out then complained when it did.

Answer 3

Then you've always heard wrong. They do subcontract some of their things like some of the information systems development, but they're a government agency, part of the treasury department.

The banner heading on their website says "Internal Revenue Service United State Department of the Treasury" - that seems pretty clear.

Answer 4

Untrue.

The IRS is part of the US Treasury Department.

Tax Protesters like to point out that they are unable to locate legislation that created the IRS. There isn't any and, more importantly, doesn't have to be any. Just one of the many, many things that tax protesters get wrong in their arguments.

Answer 5

Yes it is