Prepare for tax audits!

Democrats plan to use the money to help fund their agenda without raising taxes. House and Senate leaders say the IRS could collect $100 billion each year by going after unpaid taxes, mostly on unreported income, that the IRS estimates at about $300 billion annually.

The Treasury Department, however, says there is no realistic prospect of recovering even one-tenth as much as Democrats are talking about, the Times said.

In the budget President George W. Bush will propose Monday, the department will announce plans to go after tax cheats, but officials said the proposals would bring in less than $10 billion a year in extra tax revenue.

IRS Commissioner Mark Everson testified before a Senate committee a year ago that the IRS could recover "between $50 billion and $100 billion without changing the dynamic between the IRS and the people."

The era of tax audits is coming back. Those folks who blithely assumed that their interpretation of the tax code is how it will be, best wake up early. The taxman doesn't just look at big business, they don't really want to take them to task, they have lawyers and accountants to argue their case. Joe taxpayer doesn't. Tax auditors have the power to ruin your life,by freezing your accountants or seizing assets. Then the burden of proof is on you. God help us all!

Get an accountant to do your taxes, put aside some deductions, file a conservative return. Then they'll screw you anyway.