45 percent in new poll concerned IRS will increase number of audits

Some Americans said that they are concerned about the IRS increasing the number of its audits, according to a new Morning Consult-Politico poll. 

The new poll, published on Wednesday, found that 45 percent of respondents said they are very concerned about the IRS increasing its number of audits after the Senate passing the Inflation Reduction Act over the weekend. 

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS would be given $80 billion to improve its ability to investigate and recover unpaid taxes. 

Fifty-six percent of respondents said they are not concerned about the IRS increasing its number of audits, according to the poll. 

Twenty-four percent of respondents said they are concerned about being personally audited by the agency due to the new bill’s funding, while 76 percent of those surveyed said they are not concerned about being personally audited if the bill becomes law.

Thirty-four percent of respondents said that they think that Americans who earn high incomes will be heavily targeted in audits by the IRS, while 22 percent of respondents said that they think those who earn middle incomes will be heavily targeted by the agency. 

Nine percent of those surveyed said that they think Americans who earn lower income will be heavily targeted in audits by the IRS, the poll said. 

The Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday, with the proposed legislation being focused on addressing climate change issues, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and reforming the tax code.

The bill is headed to the House on Friday, where it is expected to pass. 

Thirty percent of respondents said the proposed legislation goes too far to address climate change issues in the country, while 16 percent of those surveyed said the bill doesn’t go far enough. 

The new Morning Consult-Politico poll was conducted from Aug. 5 to 7 with a total of 2005 respondents participating in the survey. The poll’s margin of error was 2 percentage points.