The tax gap—the difference between what is owed and paid to the government—widened to $688 billion in tax year 2021, which the IRS claims “underscores the importance” of the need for increased compliance.
For tax year 2020, the IRS estimates the gap to be $601 billion. For 2021, it is estimated to be $688 billion, which is “a significant jump” from previous estimates, according to an Oct. 12 news release. The 2021 tax gap is $192 billion more than estimates from 2014-16 and $138 billion more than 2017-19.
