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Why We No Longer Fear the IRS

March 23, 2016 By Liz Weston

gpbh8nungoaljipue96oOur tax laws are complex and often difficult to understand. Tax professionals warn us of the perils of audits. Penalties for getting our taxes wrong can be stiff — up to and including jail for those who deliberately evade the taxman.

So why don’t we fear the IRS?

Clearly, we have some fears about April 15. A recent NerdWallet survey found seven out of 10 taxpayers have concerns about filing their taxes, such as making a mistake (17%), paying too much (15%) and not getting the biggest possible refund (14%).

But only 11% feared getting audited, NerdWallet found. A recent Rasmussen Reports poll put the number at 14%.

In my latest for NerdWallet, why Americans are less afraid of the IRS than they are of reptiles.

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Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: IRS, Taxes

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