IRS 2012 Data Book Is Available
IRS 2012 Data Book Is Available
- Institutional AuthorsInternal Revenue Service
- Cross-Reference
- Code Sections
- Subject Areas/Tax Topics
- Jurisdictions
- LanguageEnglish
- Tax Analysts Document NumberDoc 2013-7103
- Tax Analysts Electronic Citation2013 TNT 58-24
October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Steven T. Miller
Acting Commissioner
Rosemary D. Marcuss
Director, Research, Analysis, and Statistics
M. Susan Boehmer
Director, Statistics of Income Division
Barry W. Johnson
Chief, Special Studies Branch
Wayne K. Kei
Chief, Communications and Data Dissemination Section
The IRS Mission
Provide America's taxpayers top-quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and enforce the law with integrity and fairness to all.
Internal Revenue Service
Data Book, 2012
This report describes activities conducted by the Internal Revenue Service during Fiscal Year 2012 (October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012). It provides information on returns filed and taxes collected, enforcement, taxpayer assistance, the IRS budget and workforce, and other selected activities.
When using information from this report, cite the Internal Revenue Service Data Book, 2012 as follows --
Internal Revenue Service
Data Book, 2012
Publication 55B
Washington, DC
March 2013
Superintendent of Documents
PO Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
Acknowledgments
Letter from the Commissioner
List of Statistical Tables
Statistical Tables
Data Sources, by Subject Area and Table Number
Principal Officers of the Internal Revenue Service
Principal Officers of the Internal Revenue Service
Office of Chief Counsel
Commissioners of Internal Revenue
Chief Counsels for the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service Organization
Acknowledgments
Internal Revenue Service Offices
Principal Coordinators:
Appeals
Lois Mauriello
Chief Counsel
Christina L. Aiken
Hilary A. Ferrell
Dava Berkman
Mark Brey
David L. Byers
Charles A. Messing
Jeshal Patel
Kent Rinehart
Weiss Russell
Afzaal H. Shamsie
Todd Tasch
Thuan N. Truong
Stephen D. Harris
Dee R. Jackson
Sabyaschi Guharay
Officer Online Services
Merci del Toro
Research, Analysis, and Statistics
Brett Collins
David J. Ludlum
Maureen Aptowicz
Catherine A. LaBille
Karen E. Johnson
Bob D. Schwaller
Annamarie Ugoletti
Robert W. Noonan
Taxpayer Advocate
Joann F. Morasse
Juan M. Rodriguez
Reuben A. Bejarano
Bradley N. Birch
Tamikio Bohler
David Tyree
Managing Editor
Ruth A. Schwartz
Technical Editors
James R. Hobbs
Barry W. Johnson
Clay R. Moulton
Information Technology Specialist
Paul A. Bastuscheck
Publishing Services Coordinator
Lisa B. Smith
The Internal Revenue Service Data Book Online
The Internal Revenue Service Data Book tables for the current year and previous years may be found on the IRS Internet site. The World Wide Web address is: www.irs.gov/taxstats. From the Web site, select "IRS Data Books" in the "Products, Publications & Papers" section. An archive of historical Data Books from 2012 to 1863 is also available on the site. For additional information, contact Statistical Information Services at 202-874-0410 or e-mail sis@irs.gov.
* * * * *
Letter from the Commissioner
I am pleased to present the 2012 Internal Revenue Service Data Book, which details IRS activities for Fiscal Year 2012 (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012). This annual report catalogs the many ways in which our dedicated employees serve the American taxpayer.
During Fiscal Year 2012, the IRS processed more than 237 million returns, including individual income, corporate income and employment income tax returns. We provided $373 billion in refunds to these taxpayers and collected $2.5 trillion for the federal government. We provided taxpayer assistance through nearly 373 million visits to IRS.gov, and assisted nearly 97 million taxpayers via our toll-free telephone helpline or at walk-in sites. Of the 146 million individual income tax returns processed, 81 percent were filed electronically.
In 2012, the IRS responded to many challenging situations, providing assistance to taxpayers in a variety of circumstances. For example, we gave filing and payment relief to victims of Hurricane Isaac and later Hurricane Sandy. We also continued to add flexibilities to our collection program under the Fresh Start initiative, to help taxpayers facing economic hardships.
One of the biggest challenges confronting the IRS today is refund fraud caused by identity theft. The IRS has more than doubled the number of staff dedicated to preventing refund fraud and assisting taxpayers victimized by identity theft, with more than 3,000 employees working in this area. As a result of these increased efforts, the IRS during FY 2012 was able to prevent the issuance of more than 3 million fraudulent refunds worth more than $20 billion. Despite these efforts, much more work remains on identity theft as well as on overall refund fraud.
The IRS in 2012 made significant progress on international enforcement, specifically in our efforts against the practice of illegally hiding assets and income in offshore accounts. We have continued our two-pronged approach: offering a voluntary disclosure program for those who want to come in and get right with the government, while at the same time pursuing tax evaders and the promoters and banks assisting them.
Looking ahead, we look to make further progress in our efforts to improve taxpayer service and ensure compliance with the nation's tax laws. I am proud to give you this year's issue of the IRS Data Book.
Revenue
Steven T. Miller
List of Statistical Tables
Returns Filed, Taxes Collected, and Refunds Issued
Table 1. Collections and Refunds, by Type of Tax, Fiscal Years 2011
and 2012
Table 2. Number of Returns Filed, by Type of Return, Fiscal Years
2011 and 2012
Table 3. Number of Returns Filed, by Type of Return and State,
Fiscal Year 2012
Table 4. Number of Returns Filed Electronically, by Type of Return
and State, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 5. Gross Collections, by Type of Tax and State, Fiscal Year
2012
Table 6. Gross Collections, by Type of Tax, Fiscal Years
1960-2012
Table 7. Number of Refunds Issued, by Type of Refund and State,
Fiscal Year 2012
Table 8. Amount of Refunds Issued, Including Interest, by Type of
Refund and State, Fiscal Year 2012
Enforcement: Examinations
Table 9a. Examination Coverage:Recommended and Average
Recommended Additional Tax After Examination, by Type and
Size of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 9b. Examination Coverage:Individual Income Tax Returns
Examined, by Size of Adjusted Gross Income, Fiscal Year
2012
Table 10. Examination Coverage: Returns Examined with Unagreed
Recommended Additional Tax After Examination, by Type and
Size of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 11. Examination Coverage:Returns Examined Involving
Protection of Revenue Base, by Type and Size of Return,
Fiscal Year 2012
Table 12. Examination Coverage: Returns Examined Resulting in
Refunds, by Type and Size of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 13. Returns of Tax-Exempt Organizations, Employee
Retirement Plans, Government Entities, and Tax-Exempt Bonds
Examined, by Type of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
Enforcement: Information Reporting and Verification
Table 14. Information Reporting Program, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 15. Math Errors on Individual Income Tax Returns, by
Type of Error, Calendar Year 2012 38
Enforcement: Collections, Penalties, and Criminal Investigation
Table 16. Delinquent Collection Activities, Fiscal Years 2011
and 2012
Table 17. Civil Penalties Assessed and Abated, by Type of Tax
and Type of Penalty, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 18. Criminal Investigation Program, by Status or
Disposition, Fiscal Year 2012
Taxpayer Assistance
Table 19. Selected Taxpayer Assistance and Education Programs,
by Type of Assistance or Program, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 20. Taxpayer Advocate Service: Postfiling Taxpayer
Assistance Program, by Type of Issue and Relief, Fiscal
Year 2012
Table 21. Appeals Workload, by Type of Case, Fiscal Year 2012
Tax-Exempt Activities
Table 22. Tax-Exempt Guidance and Other Regulatory Activities,
Fiscal Year 2012
Table 23. Determination Letters Issued on Employee Retirement
Plans, by Type and Disposition of Plan, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 24. Closures of Applications for Tax-Exempt Status, by
Organization Type and Internal Revenue Code Section, Fiscal
Year 2012
Table 25. Tax-Exempt Organizations and Nonexempt Charitable
Trusts, Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
Chief Counsel
Table 26. Chief Counsel Workload: All Cases, by Office and
Type of Case or Activity, Fiscal Year 2012
Table 27. Chief Counsel Workload:Tax Litigation Cases, by Type
of Case, Fiscal Year 2012
IRS Budget and Workforce
Table 28. Costs Incurred by Budget Activity, Fiscal Years 2011
and 2012
Table 29. Collections, Costs, Personnel, and U.S. Population,
Fiscal Years 1980-2012
Table 30. Personnel Summary, by Employment Status, Budget
Activity, and Selected Type of Personnel, Fiscal Years 2011
and 2012
Table 31. Internal Revenue Service Labor Force, Compared to
National Totals for Civilian and Federal Labor Forces, by
Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Disability, Fiscal Year 2012
Returns Filed, Taxes Collected, and Refunds Issued
Tables 1 and 2 provide a broad overview of the main functions performed by the IRS: processing Federal tax returns and collecting revenue. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the IRS processed more than 237.3 million Federal tax returns and supplemental documents, and collected over $2.5 trillion in gross taxes. After accounting for nearly 123.4 million refunds, totaling more than $373.4 billion, collections (net of refunds) totaled almost $2.2 trillion.
During FY 2012, there were more than 146.2 million individual income tax returns filed, accounting for over 61.6 percent of all returns filed. Individual income tax withheld and tax payments, combined, totaled nearly $1.4 trillion before refunds, which amounted to almost $322.7 billion.
The IRS also processed nearly 2.3 million returns and collected almost $281.5 billion in taxes, before refunds, from corporations in FY 2012. Partnerships and S corporations filed an additional 8.2 million returns.
Tables 3 through 6 provide additional details on returns filed, returns filed electronically, and gross collections. More than 144.6 million returns, including nearly 81.0 percent of individual income tax returns, were filed electronically in FY 2012. Of these, paid preparers filed more than 75.1 million tax returns electronically and taxpayers filed more than 3.1 million returns using the IRS Free File program.
Tables 7 and 8 provide information on tax refunds by State and type of tax. In FY 2012, nearly 17.0 million tax refunds included a refundable child tax credit and almost 23.5 million included the earned income tax credit.
Table 1. Collections and Refunds, by Type of Tax,
Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 9.]
Table 2. Number of Returns Filed, by Type of Return,
Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
[Numbers are in thousands -- for Fiscal Year 2012
details by State, see Table 3]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 10.]
Table 3. Number of Returns Filed, by Type of Return and State,
Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 12.]
Table 4. Number of Returns Filed Electronically,
by Type of Return and State, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 15.]
Table 5. Gross Collections, by Type of Tax and State,
Fiscal Year 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 18.]
Table 6. Gross Collections, by Type of Tax,
Fiscal Years 1960-2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 21.]
Table 7. Number of Refunds Issued, by Type of Refund and State,
Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 23.]
Table 8. Amount of Refunds Issued, Including Interest,
by Type of Refund and State, Fiscal Year 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 25.]
Enforcement:
Examinations
Enforcement of the tax laws is an integral component of the IRS's mission. IRS enforcement activities, such as examination and collection, target elements of the tax gap and are a high priority for the IRS.
The IRS accepts most Federal tax returns as filed. However, it examines (or audits) some returns to determine if income, expenses, and credits are being reported accurately. Some examinations are handled entirely by mail, while others are conducted in a taxpayer's home, place of business, IRS office, or office of an attorney, accountant, or enrolled agent. The IRS enforces the tax law in a number of ways. For individual taxpayers, some of the more common methods may include:
sending a notice to a taxpayer because the IRS has an information return that indicates a taxpayer has income, but has not filed a tax return;
rectifying a taxpayer error by using its authority to correct math errors and related problems on a return, as filed;
informing a taxpayer that he/she has a record of income that does not appear on a tax return;
conducting an examination by mail (correspondence examination); or
conducting a face-to-face audit (field examination).
Tables 9a through 12 provide information about examinations of most types of tax returns. Table 9a provides an overview of all examinations of income tax returns, estate and gift tax returns, employment tax returns, excise tax returns, and certain other business tax returns. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the IRS examined 0.9 percent of all returns filed in Calendar Year (CY) 2011, 1.0 percent of all individual income tax returns filed in CY 2011, and 1.6 percent of corporation income tax returns (excluding S corporation returns). Table 9b shows examinations of individual income tax returns by size of adjusted gross income (AGI). Overall, in FY 2012, individual income tax returns in higher AGI classes were more likely to be examined than returns in lower AGI classes.
Table 10 provides additional information about those examinations in which the taxpayer did not agree with the IRS examiner's determination. Table 11 provides information on examinations that prevented the erroneous payment of refunds. Table 12 shows the number of examinations that resulted in additional refunds paid to the taxpayer and the amount of refunds recommended. Of the 1.5 million examinations of individual income tax returns, nearly 54,000 resulted in additional refunds of almost $1.0 billion.
Table 13 provides information about examinations of tax-exempt organizations, such as charitable organizations and foundations, employee retirement plans, Government entities, and tax-exempt bonds. These organizations generally do not owe Federal income tax. However, tax-exempt organizations may owe additional payroll taxes, unrelated business income tax, or excise taxes. In addition, changes to exempt organization returns may lead to adjustments on related taxable returns. Examinations of related returns are also included in Table 13 (and excluded from Tables 9a through 12). The IRS processed 798,903 returns of tax-exempt organizations in CY 2011 and examined 10,743 tax-exempt organization and related returns in FY 2012.
Table 9a. Examination Coverage: Recommended and Average
Recommended Additional Tax After Examination,
by Type and Size of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 28.]
Table 9b. Examination Coverage: Individual Income Tax Returns
Examined, by Size of Adjusted Gross Income, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 32.]
Table 10. Examination Coverage: Returns Examined with
Unagreed Recommended Additional Tax After Examination,
by Type and Size of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 33.]
Table 11. Examination Coverage: Returns Examined
Involving Protection of Revenue Base, by Type and
Size of Return, Fiscal Year 20121
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 35.]
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
Table 12. Examination Coverage: Returns Examined Resulting
in Refunds, by Type and Size of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 37.]
Table 13. Returns of Tax-Exempt Organizations, Employee
Retirement Plans, Government Entities, and Tax-Exempt Bonds Examined,
by Type of Return, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 39.]
Enforcement:
Information Reporting and Verification
The IRS uses tools other than examinations to identify and resolve taxpayer errors. In addition to receiving information on self-reported income and tax on returns filed by taxpayers, the IRS gathers independent information about income received and taxes withheld from information returns, such as Forms W-2 and 1099 filed by employers and other third parties. With its Automated Underreporter Program, the IRS matches these information returns to tax returns and contacts taxpayers to resolve discrepancies. In the Automated Substitute for Return Program, the IRS uses information returns from third parties to identify tax return delinquencies (nonfilers); construct tax returns for certain nonfilers based on that third-party information; and assess tax, interest, and penalties based on the substitute returns.
Table 14 provides information about both the Automated Underreporter Program and the Automated Substitute for Return Program. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the IRS received more than 2.2 billion third-party information returns, nearly 88.8 percent of which were filed electronically. Under its Automated Underreporter Program, the IRS closed more than 4.5 million cases in which it identified a discrepancy between the taxpayer return and third-party information, resulting in more than $7.1 billion in additional assessments. In FY 2012, under its Automated Substitute for Return Program, the IRS closed 803 thousand cases in which a tax return delinquency was identified for nonfilers, resulting in almost $6.7 billion in additional assessments.
During the routine processing of tax returns, the IRS also checks for mathematical and clerical errors before refunds are paid. Table 15 shows the types of errors made on returns processed. For Tax Year (TY) 2011 individual income tax returns processed during Calendar Year 2012, IRS sent more than 2.0 million notices to taxpayers for over 2.7 million math errors identified on their returns.
Table 14. Information Reporting Program, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 42.]
Table 15. Math Errors on Individual Income Tax Returns,
by Type of Error, Calendar Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 43.]
Enforcement:
Collections, Penalties, and Criminal Investigation
The mission of the IRS's Collection function is to collect Federal taxes that have been reported or assessed but not paid, and to secure tax returns that have not been filed. Table 16 provides information on these activities. During Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the IRS collected, net of credit transfers, over $31.1 billion in unpaid assessments on returns filed with additional tax due.
The failure to comply with Federal tax laws may result in civil penalties. Table 17 provides information on penalties assessed and abated during FY 2012, by type of tax and type of penalty. During FY 2012, the IRS assessed almost $26.9 billion in civil penalties. Slightly more than half of that amount, $13.6 billion, was assessed in civil penalties on individual, and estate and trust income tax returns. The IRS also abated over $11.3 billion in civil penalties during the year, including nearly $5.1 billion in abatements for individual, and estate and trust income tax returns.
Individuals who deliberately fail to comply with Federal tax laws may also be subject to a criminal investigation, which could result in prosecution, fines, and imprisonment. Table 18 summarizes criminal investigation activity related to legal source tax crimes, illegal source financial crimes, and narcotics-related financial crimes. In FY 2012, IRS initiated 5,125 criminal investigations in these three areas.
Legal source tax investigations involve activities, industries, and occupations that generate legitimate income. The Legal Source Tax Crimes Program also includes cases that may threaten the tax system, such as frivolous challenges to the legitimacy of the tax laws; unscrupulous tax return preparers; and fraudulent refund schemes. During FY 2012, the IRS referred 1,401 legal source tax crime cases for prosecution.
Illegal source financial crimes relate to proceeds derived from unlawful sources, other than narcotics. These involve tax and tax-related violations, as well as money laundering. During FY 2012, the IRS referred 1,518 illegal source financial crime cases for prosecution.
The Narcotics Program investigates narcotics-related tax and money-laundering crimes. The IRS often cooperates with the Justice Department and other law enforcement agencies to accomplish its mission. During FY 2012, the IRS referred 782 narcotics-related financial crimes cases for prosecution.
Table 16. Delinquent Collection Activities,
Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 45.]
Table 17. Civil Penalties Assessed and Abated, by Type of Tax
and Type of Penalty, Fiscal Year 2012 [1]
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 46.]
Table 18. Criminal Investigation Program,
by Status or Disposition, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 48.]
Taxpayer Assistance
The IRS assists taxpayers in meeting their Federal tax return filing and payment obligations in a variety of ways, such as through its telephone helpline, via the Internet, at IRS walk-in sites, and through volunteer income tax return preparers. Table 19 provides information about some of the programs and services designed to help taxpayers. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the IRS provided taxpayer assistance through 372.5 million visits to IRS.gov and assisted nearly 96.9 million taxpayers through its toll-free telephone helpline or at walk-in sites.
Table 20 provides information about the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). TAS is an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers resolve problems with the IRS and recommends changes that will prevent those problems in the future. Taxpayers may submit an application for assistance to TAS. In FY 2012, TAS received 219,666 new requests for assistance and closed 232,508 cases, including those received in a prior fiscal year.
Table 21 provides information on the workload of IRS's Appeals Office. The mission of Appeals is to resolve tax controversies, without litigation, on a basis that is fair and impartial to both the taxpayer and the Federal Government. The Appeals Office considers cases that involve examination, collection, and penalty issues. Taxpayers who disagree with IRS findings in their cases may request an Appeals hearing. The local Appeals Office is separate and independent of the IRS office that proposed the tax adjustment, collection action, or penalty. During FY 2012, the IRS Appeals Office received 135,061 new cases and closed 144,453 cases, including those received in a prior fiscal year.
Table 19. Selected Taxpayer Assistance and Education Programs,
by Type of Assistance or Program, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 50.]
Table 20. Taxpayer Advocate Service: Postfiling Taxpayer
Assistance Program, by Type of Issue and Relief, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 51.]
Table 21. Appeals Workload, by Type of Case, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 52.]
Tax-Exempt Activities
The IRS devotes significant resources to meeting the special needs of tax-exempt organizations, employee retirement benefit plans, and Government entities in complying with tax laws. While these entities are not subject to Federal income tax, they nonetheless represent a significant aspect of tax administration. While information on the administration, processing, and examination of returns filed by these entities is provided throughout the IRS Data Book, this section focuses on issues related to governance.
Table 22 summarizes IRS activities, such as issuing technical guidance, to assist tax-exempt entities and facilitate their compliance with Federal tax laws. Table 23 provides information about applications for determination of tax-exempt status for employee retirement plans. Table 24 provides information about applications for tax-exempt status that were closed during Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. Table 25 shows the total number of approved tax-exempt organizations for Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012.
In FY 2012, the IRS closed 60,793 applications for tax-exempt status and other determinations. Of those, the IRS approved tax-exempt status for 52,615 organizations. In FY 2012, the IRS recognized more than 1.6 million tax-exempt organizations and nonexempt charitable trusts.
Table 22. Tax-Exempt Guidance and Other Regulatory Activities,
Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 54.]
Table 23. Determination Letters Issued on Employee Retirement
Plans, by Type and Disposition of Plan, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 55.]
Table 24. Closures of Applications for Tax-Exempt
Status, by Organization Type and Internal Revenue Code
Section, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 56.]
Table 25. Tax-Exempt Organizations and Nonexempt Charitable
Trusts, Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 57.]
Chief Counsel
The IRS Chief Counsel is appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate, and serves as the chief legal advisor to the IRS Commissioner on all matters pertaining to the interpretation, administration, and enforcement of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as all other legal matters. Under the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, the Chief Counsel reports to both the IRS Commissioner and the Treasury General Counsel.
Attorneys in the Chief Counsel's Office serve as lawyers for the IRS. They provide the IRS and taxpayers with guidance on interpreting Federal tax laws correctly, represent the IRS in litigation, and provide all other legal support required to carry out the IRS mission.
Tables 26 and 27 provide information for Fiscal Year 2012 about Chief Counsel's workload and case activity in several major categories including criminal tax, international issues, and general legal services. Chief Counsel received 95,929 cases and closed 94,323 cases during the fiscal year. Of the new cases received, and cases closed, the majority related to tax law enforcement and litigation, including Tax Court litigation; collection, bankruptcy, and summons advice and litigation; Appellate Court litigation; criminal tax; and enforcement advice and assistance.
In Fiscal Year 2012, General Counsel received 31,295 Tax Court cases involving a taxpayer contesting an IRS determination that he or she owed additional tax. The total amount of tax and penalty in dispute at the end of the fiscal year was almost $6.6 billion.
Table 26. Chief Counsel Workload: All Cases, by Office and
Type of Case or Activity, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 59.]
Table 27. Chief Counsel Workload: Tax Litigation Cases,
by Type of Case, Fiscal Year 2012
[Money amounts are in millions of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 61.]
IRS Budget and Workforce
Tables 28 through 31 provide information on the size and composition of the IRS workforce and the resources that the IRS spends to collect taxes and assist taxpayers. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the IRS collected more than $2.5 trillion, incurring a cost of 48 cents, on average, to collect $100.
IRS's actual expenditures in FY 2012 was less than $12.1 billion, which was used to meet the requirements of its three core operating appropriation budget activities. These core activities include taxpayer services, enforcement, and operations support.
Taxpayer services funding provides processing for tax returns and related documents, and assistance to taxpayers filing returns and paying taxes due. The IRS spent $2.4 billion to provide taxpayer services in FY 2012.
Enforcement funding provided for the examination of tax returns, collection of balances due, and administrative and judicial settlement of taxpayer appeals of examination findings. It also provided resources to strengthen enforcement aimed at reducing invalid claims and erroneous filings associated with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program. The IRS spent $5.3 billion in enforcement in FY 2012.
Operations support provides administrative services, policy management, and IRS-wide support. This appropriation also funds staffing, equipment, and related costs used to manage, maintain, and operate critical information systems supporting tax administration. The IRS spent $4.0 billion in operations support in FY 2012.
During the fiscal year, the IRS continued to focus on attracting, retaining, and developing a quality workforce to support workforce management activities that contribute to making the IRS one of the best places to work in the Federal government. In FY 2012, the IRS employed a total workforce of 97,941, including part-time and seasonal employees.
Table 28. Costs Incurred by Budget Activity,
Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
[Money amounts are in thousands of dollars]
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 63.]
Table 29. Collections, Costs, Personnel, and U.S. Population,
Fiscal Years 1980 - 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 64.]
Table 30. Personnel Summary, by Employment Status, Budget
Activity, and Selected Personnel Type, Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 65.]
Table 31. Internal Revenue Service Labor Force, Compared to
National Totals for Civilian and Federal Labor Forces, by Gender,
Race/Ethnicity, and Disability, Fiscal Year 2012
[Editor's Note: For a larger, searchable version of the table,
see Doc 2013-7103 , page 66.]
Data Sources, by Subject Area and Table Number
Principal Officers of the Internal Revenue Service
as of September 30, 2012
Commissioner
Douglas H. Shulman
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement
Steven T. Miller
Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support
Beth Tucker
Chief of Staff
Jonathan M. Davis
Deputy Chief of Staff
Nikole C. Flax
Senior Advisor for Compliance Analytics
Dean R. Silverman
Appeals
Chief, Appeals
Christopher Wagner
Deputy Chief, Appeals
Sheldon M. Kay
Taxpayer Advocate Service
National Taxpayer Advocate
Nina E. Olson
Deputy National Taxpayer Advocate
Melissa R. Snell
Executive Director, Systemic Advocacy Systems
Rena C. Girinakis
Executive Director, Case Advocacy
Matthew A. Weir
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Executive Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Monica H. Davy
Deputy Executive Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Elaine P. Ho
Office of Research, Analysis, and Statistics
Director, Office of Research, Analysis, and Statistics
Rosemary D. Marcuss
Deputy Director, Office of Research, Analysis, and Statistics
Patricia H. McGuire
Director, Data Management Office
William W. Hannon
Director, Office of Program Evaluation and Risk Analysis
Tommy A. Smith
Director, Office of Research
Janice M. Hedemann
Director, Servicewide Policy, Directives, and Electronic Research
Kathryn A. Green
Director, Statistics of Income
M. Susan Boehmer
Communications and Liaison
Chief, Communications and Liaison
Frank Keith
Deputy Chief, Communications and Liaison
Jan S. Deneroff
Director, Office of Legislative Affairs
Catherine M. Barré
Director, Office of Communications
Terry L. Lemons
Director, Office of National Public Liaison
Candice V. Cromling
Small Business/Self-Employed Division
Commissioner, Small Business/Self-Employed
Faris R. Fink
Deputy Commissioner, Small Business/Self-Employed
Ruth Perez
Director, Communications and Stakeholder Outreach
Rob C. Wilkerson
Director, Filed Collections
Bobby L. Hunt
Director, Enterprise Collection Strategy
Michael D. Julianelle
Director, Examination
Shenita L. Hicks
Director, Fraud/BSA
William P. Marshall
Director, Specialty Programs
John H. Imhoff, Jr.
Director, Campus Compliance Services
Denice D. Vaughan
Large Business and International Division
Commissioner, Large Business and International
Heather C. Maloy
Deputy Commissioner (Domestic)
Paul D. DeNard
Deputy Commissioner (International)
Michael Danilack
U.S. Competent Authority
Michael Danilack
Assistant Deputy Commissioner (International)
Douglas W. O'Donnell
Director, Financial Services Industry
Rosemary J. Sereti
Director, Retailers, Food, Transportation and Healthcare Industry
James J. Roosey
Director, Communications, Technology, and Media Industry
Cheryl P. Claybough
Director, Heavy Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical Industry
Laura M. Prendergast
Director, Natural Resources and Construction Industry
Kathy J. Robbins
Director, Global High Wealth Industry
Donna C. Hansberry (Acting)
Director, International Individual Compliance
David W. Horton
Director, International Business Compliance
Sergio E. Arellano
Director, Pre-Filing and Technical Guidance
Sunita B. Lough
Director, Shared Support
Donna C. Hansberry
Director, Transfer Pricing Operations
Samuel M. Maruca
Wage and Investment Division
Commissioner, Wage and Investment
Peggy A. Bogadi
Deputy Commissioner, Operations
Debra S. Holland
Deputy Commissioner, Support
Debra S. Holland
Director, Customer Account Services
Peter J. Stipek
Director, CARE (Customer Assistance, Relationships, and Education)
Julie Garcia
Director, Compliance
James P. Clifford
Director, Return Integrity and Correspondence Services
Jodi L. Patterson
Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division
Commissioner, Tax Exempt and Government Entities
Joseph H, Grant (Acting)
Deputy Commissioner, Tax Exempt and Government Entities
Moises C. Medina (Acting)
Director, Employee Plans
Robert S. Choi
Director, Exempt Organizations
Lois G. Lerner
Director, Government Entities
Clifford J. Gannett (Acting)
Criminal Investigation
Chief, Criminal Investigation
Richard Weber
Deputy Chief, Criminal Investigation
Patricia J. Haynes (Acting)
Office of Professional Responsibility
Director, Office of Professional Responsibility
Karen L. Hawkins
Deputy Director, Office of Professional Responsibility
Denise S. Fayne
Director, Office of Online Services
Rajive K. Mathur
Return Preparer Office
Director, Return Preparer Office
Carol A. Campbell
Deputy Director, Return Preparer Office
Preston B. Beniot
Office of Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Pamela J. LaRue
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Gregory E. Kane
Agency-Wide Shared Services
Chief, Agency-Wide Shared Services
David A, Grant
Director, Procurement
Jacob B. Hansen
Director, Real Estate and Facilities Management
Stuart Burns
IRS Information Technology
Chief Technology Officer
Terry V. Milholland
Deputy Chief Information Officer for Operations
Julie A. Rushin
Deputy Chief Information Officer for Strategy/Modernization
James M. McGrane
Associate Chief Information Officer, Applications Development
Kate M. Miller
Associate Chief Information Officer, Modernization Program Management
Gretchen R. McCoy
Associate Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Operations
Lauren Buschor
Associate Chief Information Officer, User and Network Services
Stephen L. Manning
Associate Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Services
Robert N. Crawford
Associate Chief Information Officer, Cybersecurity
David W. Stender
Associate Chief Information Officer, Strategy and Planning
Carl T. Froehlich (Acting)
Associate Chief Information Officer, Affordable Care Act Program
S. Gina Garza
Director, Management Services
Debra L. Nelson
Human Capital Office
Chief Human Capital Officer
David Krieg
Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer
Daniel T. Riordan
Privacy, Governmental Liaison and Disclosure
Director, Privacy, Governmental Liaison, and Disclosure
Rebecca A. Chiaramida
Whistleblower Office
Director, Whistleblower Office
Stephen A. Whitlock
Office of Chief Counsel
Chief Counsel
William J. Wilkins
Deputy Chief Counsel
(Operations)
Christopher B. Sterner
Deputy Chief Counsel
(Technical)
Erik H. Corwin
Health Care Counsel
Catherine E. Livingston
Special Counsel
(National Taxpayer Advocate Service)
Judith M. Wall
Division Counsel/Associate Chief Counsel
(Criminal Tax)
Edward F. Cronin
Division Counsel
(Large Business and International)
Linda M. Kroening
Division Counsel
(Small Business/Self-Employed)
Thomas R. Thomas
Division Counsel/Associate Chief Counsel
(Tax Exempt and Government Entities)
Victoria A. Judson
Division Counsel
(Wage and Investment)
Joanne B. Minsky
Associate Chief Counsel
(Corporate)
William D. Alexander
Associate Chief Counsel
(Finance and Management)
Dennis M. Ferrara
Associate Chief Counsel
(Financial Institutions and Products)
Stephen R. Larson
Associate Chief Counsel
(General Legal Services)
Mark S. Kaizen
Associate Chief Counsel
(Income Tax and Accounting)
Andrew J. Keyso, Jr.
Associate Chief Counsel
(International)
Steven A. Musher
Associate Chief Counsel
(Passthroughs and Special Industries)
Curtis G. Wilson
Associate Chief Counsel
(Procedure and Administration)
Deborah A. Butler
Office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue Created
by Act of Congress, July 1, 1862
George S. Boutwell
Massachusetts
July 17, 1862 to March 4, 1863
Joseph J. Lewis
(Acting)
Pennsylvania
Mar. 5, 1863 to Mar. 17, 1863
Joseph J. Lewis
Pennsylvania
March 18, 1863 to June 30, 1865
William Orton
New York
July 1, 1865 to Oct. 31, 1865
Edward A. Rollins
New Hampshire
Nov. 1, 1865 to Mar. 10, 1869
Columbus Delano
Ohio
March 11, 1869 to Oct. 31, 1870
John W. Douglass
(Acting)
Pennsylvania
Nov. 1, 1870 to Jan. 2, 1871
Alfred Pleasonton
New York
Jan. 3, 1871 to Aug. 8, 1871
John W. Douglass
Pennsylvania
Aug. 9, 1871 to May 14, 1875
Daniel D. Pratt
Indiana
May 15, 1875 to Aug. 1, 1876
Green B. Raum
Illinois
Aug. 2, 1876 to April 30, 1883
Henry C. Rogers
(Acting)
Pennsylvania
May 1, 1883 to May 10, 1883
John J. Knox
(Acting)
Minnesota
May 11, 1883 to May 20, 1883
Walter Evans
Kentucky
May 21, 1883 to March 19, 1885
Joseph S. Miller
West Virginia
March 20, 1885 to March 20, 1889
John W. Mason
West Virginia
March 21, 1889 to April 18, 1893
Joseph S. Miller
West Virginia
April 19, 1893 to Nov. 26, 1896
W. St. John Forman
Illinois
Nov. 27, 1896 to Dec. 31, 1897
Nathan B. Scott
West Virginia
Jan. 1, 1898 to Feb. 28, 1899
George W. Wilson
Ohio
Mar. 1, 1899 to Nov. 27, 1900
Robert Williams, Jr.
(Acting)
Ohio
Nov. 28, 1900 to Dec. 19, 1900
John W. Yerkes
Kentucky
Dec. 20, 1900 to April 30, 1907
Henry C. Rogers
(Acting)
Pennsylvania
May 1, 1907 to June 4, 1907
John G. Capers
South Carolina
June 5, 1907 to Aug. 31, 1909
Royal E. Cabell
Virginia
Sept. 1, 1909 to April 27, 1913
William H. Osborn
North Carolina
April 28, 1913 to Sept. 25, 1917
Daniel C. Roper
South Carolina
Sept. 26, 1917 to Mar. 31, 1920
William M. Williams
Alabama
April 1, 1920 to April 11, 1921
Millard F. West
(Acting)
Kentucky
April 12, 1921 to May 26, 1921
David H. Blair
North Carolina
May 27, 1921 to May 31, 1929
Robert H. Lucas
Kentucky
June 1, 1929 to Aug. 15, 1930
H. F. Mires
(Acting)
Washington
Aug. 16, 1930 to Aug. 19, 1930
David Burnet
Ohio
Aug. 20, 1930 to May 15, 1933
Pressly R. Baldridge
(Acting)
Iowa
May 16, 1933 to June 5, 1933
Guy T. Helvering
Kansas
June 6, 1933 to Oct. 8, 1943
Robert E. Hannegan
Missouri
Oct. 9, 1943 to Jan. 22, 1944
Harold N. Graves
(Acting)
Illinois
Jan. 23, 1944 to Feb. 29, 1944
Joseph D. Nunan, Jr.
New York
March 1, 1944 to June 30, 1947
George J. Schoeneman
Rhode Island
July 1, 1947 to July 31, 1951
John B. Dunlap
Texas
Aug. 1, 1951 to Nov. 18, 1952
John S. Graham
(Acting)
North Carolina
Nov. 19, 1952 to Jan. 19, 1953
Justin F. Winkle
(Acting)
New York
Jan. 20, 1953 to Feb. 3, 1953
T. Coleman Andrews
Virginia
Feb. 4, 1953 to Oct. 31, 1955
O. Gordon Delk
(Acting)
Virginia
Nov. 1, 1955 to Dec. 4, 1955
Russell C. Harrington
Rhode Island
Dec. 5, 1955 to Sept. 30, 1958
O. Gordon Delk
(Acting)
Virginia
Oct. 1, 1958 to Nov. 4, 1958
Dana Latham
California
Nov. 5, 1958 to Jan. 20, 1961
Charles I. Fox
(Acting)
Utah
Jan. 21, 1961 to Feb. 6, 1961
Mortimer M. Caplin
Virginia
Feb. 7, 1961 to July 10, 1964
Bertrand M. Harding
(Acting)
Texas
July 11, 1964 to Jan. 24, 1965
Sheldon S. Cohen
Maryland
Jan. 25, 1965 to Jan. 20, 1969
William H. Smith
(Acting)
Virginia
Jan. 21, 1969 to Mar. 31, 1969
Randolph W. Thrower
Georgia
April 1, 1969 to June 22, 1971
Harold T. Swartz
(Acting)
Indiana
June 23, 1971 to Aug. 5, 1971
Johnnie M. Walters
South Carolina
Aug. 6, 1971 to April 30, 1973
Raymond F. Harless
(Acting)
California
May 1, 1973 to May 25, 1973
Donald C. Alexander
Ohio
May 26, 1973 to Feb. 26, 1977
William E. Williams
(Acting)
Illinois
Feb. 27, 1977 to May 4, 1977
Jerome Kurtz
Pennsylvania
May 5, 1977 to Oct. 31, 1980
William E. Williams
(Acting)
Illinois
Nov. 1, 1980 to March 13, 1981
Roscoe L. Egger, Jr.
Indiana
March 14, 1981 to April 30, 1986
James I. Owens
(Acting)
Alabama
May 1, 1986 to Aug. 3, 1986
Lawrence B. Gibbs
Texas
Aug. 4, 1986 to March 4, 1989
Michael J. Murphy
(Acting)
Wisconsin
March 5, 1989 to July 4, 1989
Fred Goldberg, Jr.
Missouri
July 5, 1989 to Feb. 2, 1992
Shirley D. Peterson
Colorado
Feb. 3, 1992 to Jan. 20, 1993
Michael P. Dolan
(Acting)
Iowa
Jan. 21, 1993 to May 26, 1993
Margaret Milner Richardson
Texas
May 27, 1993 to May 31, 1997
Michael P. Dolan
(Acting)
Iowa
June 1, 1997 to Nov. 12, 1997
Charles O. Rossotti
New York
Nov. 13, 1997 to Nov. 6, 2002
Bob Wenzel
(Acting)
Illinois
Nov. 7, 2002 to April 30, 2003
Mark W. Everson
New York
May 1, 2003 to May 28, 2007
Kevin M. Brown
(Acting)
Virginia
May 29, 2007 to Sept. 8, 2007
Linda E. Stiff
(Acting)
Germany
Sept. 9, 2007 to Mar. 23, 2008
Douglas H. Shulman
Ohio
March 24, 2008 to Nov. 9, 2012
Steven T. Miller
(Acting) Ohio
Nov. 10, 2012 to present
Walter H. Smith 1866
William McMichael 1871
Charles Chesley 1871
Thomas J. Smith 1888
Alphonso Hart 1890
Robert T. Hough 1893
George M. Thomas 1897
Albert W. Wishard 1901
A.B. Hayes 1903
Fletcher Maddox 1908
Ellis C. Johnson 1913
A.A. Ballantine 1918
D.M. Kelleher 1919
Robert N. Miller 1919
Wayne Johnson 1920
Carl A. Mapes 1920
Nelson T. Hartson 1923
Alexander W. Gregg 1925
Clarance M. Charest 1927
E. Barrett Prettyman 1933
Robert H. Jackson 1934
Morrison Shaforth 1936
John P. Wenchel 1937
Charles Oliphant 1947
Charles W. Davis 1952
Daniel A. Taylor 1953
John Potts Barnes 1955
Nelson P. Rose 1957
Arch M. Cantrall 1958
Hart H. Spiegel 1959
Crane C. Hauser 1961
Sheldon S. Cohen 1964
Mitchell Rogovin 1965
Lester R. Uretz 1966
K. Martin Worthy 1969
Lee H. Henkel, Jr. 1972
Meade Whitaker 1973
Stuart E. Seigel 1977
N. Jerold Cohen 1979
Kenneth W. Gideon 1981
Fred Goldberg, Jr. 1984
William F. Nelson 1986
Abraham N. M. Shashy, Jr. 1990
Stuart L. Brown 1994
B. John Williams, Jr. 2002
Donald L. Korb 2004
William J. Wilkins 2009
The following were Acting Chief Counsel during periods when there was no Chief Counsel holding the office:
John W. Burrus
March 2, 1936 to Nov. 30, 1936
Mason B. Leming
Dec. 6, 1951 to May 15, 1952
Kenneth W. Gemmill
June 11, 1953 to Nov. 8, 1953
Rudy P. Hertzog
Dec. 1, 1954 to May 8, 1955
Jan. 20, 1961 to Aug. 16, 1961
Sept. 1, 1963 to Jan. 5, 1964
Herman T. Reiling
Jan. 19, 1957 to March 13, 1957
Aug. 31, 1959 to Sept. 20, 1959
Richard M. Hahn
Jan. 20, 1969 to June 25, 1969
Lee H. Henkel, Jr.
Jan. 16, 1972 to June 11, 1972
Lawrence B. Gibbs
April 17, 1973 to Oct. 19, 1973
Charles L. Saunders, Jr.
Jan. 20, 1977 to April 15, 1977
Leon G. Wigrizer
April 16, 1977 to June 23, 1977
Lester Stein
June 1, 1979 to Nov. 16, 1979
Jerome D. Sebastian
Jan. 21, 1981 to Feb. 2, 1981
March 30, 1981 to Aug. 14, 1981
Emory L. Langdon
Feb. 3, 1981 to March 29, 1981
Joel Gerber
May 28, 1983 to March 17, 1984
V. Jean Owens
March 14, 1986 to July 27, 1986
Peter K. Scott
Nov. 1, 1988 to Feb. 6, 1990
David L. Jordan
Jan. 20, 1993 to Oct. 4, 1994
Richard Skillman
Jan. 20, 2001 to Feb. 6, 2002
Emily A. Parker
Aug. 1, 2003 to April 14, 2004
Clarissa C. Potter
Dec. 19, 2008 to July 24, 2009
NOTE: From 1866 to 1926, the chief legal officer for the Bureau of Internal Revenue was known as the Solicitor. For the next eight years, 1926 to 1934, the chief legal officer had the title of General Counsel. Since 1934, the chief legal officer has operated under the title of Chief Counsel, now for the Internal Revenue Service.
Internal Revenue Service Data Book, 2012
- Institutional AuthorsInternal Revenue Service
- Cross-Reference
- Code Sections
- Subject Areas/Tax Topics
- Jurisdictions
- LanguageEnglish
- Tax Analysts Document NumberDoc 2013-7103
- Tax Analysts Electronic Citation2013 TNT 58-24