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| MORE THAN 20,000 DELINQUENT TAXPAYERS LISTED ON DEPT. OF REVENUE SITE |
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WPR News - More than 20,000 delinquent taxpayers listed on Dept. of Revenue site
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Wednesday March 21, 2012
by Maureen McCollum
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(UNDATED) More than 20,000 people are listed as Delinquent Taxpayers on the Wisconsin's Department of Revenue's website.
The Department of Revenue estimates there's $960 million in unpaid taxes to the state. But, that's a rough guess, partially because some people don't file tax returns. In 2006, a state law required the Department of Revenue to list all individuals and businesses that owe more than $5000 in past-due taxes on the agency's website.
Department of Revenue spokesperson Stephanie Marquis says that's helped the state collect more delinquent taxes, because some people are embarrassed to have their name publicly listed. She says the state takes other actions to collect the taxes, like setting up payment plans, but sometimes they have to become more firm, "We start looking at what type of assets they may have that we could put a lien against, looking at financial record matching, looking at wage garnishments, all those types of things."
Marquis says debt collection could even lead to lawsuits or intercepting tax refunds.
Last year, the Department was able to collect$202 million in delinquent taxes.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service's Matt Kautzer says it's always better to file taxes, even if the individual or business can't pay them, "Because if you don't file, then you're subjecting yourself to filing negligence penalties and things of that nature which it just kind of snowballs and gets larger and larger."
Kautzer says the main reason people don't pay taxes is because they don't have the means to.
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