It appears Sen. Orin Hatch's comment that "everything from this ill-conceived tax's structure to its implementation has been a disaster," are coming true. As AP reports, an "Obamacare" tax on medical devices is falling short of its revenue target because thousands of companies aren't paying it, according to a government audit released Tuesday. An audit found the IRS received only 5,107 returns (against expectations of over 9,000) with a 24% shortfall in revenues. The tax is projected to generate $29 billion over the coming decade, so a 24 percent shortfall - if it were sustained - would be significant.
As AP reports, [4] an "Obamacare" tax on medical devices is falling short of its revenue target because thousands of companies aren't paying it, according to a government audit released Tuesday.
The tax...
To help pay for President Barack Obama's health law, Congress enacted a 2.3 percent tax on the sale of medical devices used chiefly by doctors and hospitals, such as pacemakers and CT scan machines. Consumer items are exempted, including eyeglasses, contact lenses and hearing aids.
The tax took effect in January 2013.
Is not being paid...
The IRS estimated it would receive between 9,000 and 15,600 returns for the first two quarters of 2013, the audit said. But the IRS received only 5,107 returns, suggesting that thousands of companies either don't know about the requirements or are simply ignoring them.
The audit by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration says the IRS needs to do a better job policing the tax.
But the IRS can't tell who is not paying!!
The tax agency, however, doesn't have adequate tools to identify which companies owe it, the audit said.
...
While the IRS has taken steps to educate companies about the tax, the agency "faces challenges to definitively identify manufacturers subject to the medical device excise tax reporting and payment requirements," said the inspector general, J. Russell George.
A 24% shortfall...
For the first six months of that year, the IRS estimated it would collect $1.2 billion from the tax. The audit said the IRS collected only $913 million — 24 percent less than the estimate.
The tax is projected to generate $29 billion over the coming decade, so a 24 percent shortfall — if it were sustained — would be significant.
Companies subject to the tax are required to file quarterly tax forms with the IRS.
It appears Orrin Hatch was right...
"Everything from this ill-conceived tax's structure to its implementation has been a disaster," said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. "It is no surprise that 79 senators went on the record to repeal this job-killing tax."
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If you like not paying taxes...
