are tax returns secret? even to those who work at IRS?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Guess the answer is probably Hell Yes, but it strikes
me that someone could just take a peak. Not leak or publish, just take a peak.

[warrior1]

1. Yes.

It's usually called the right to know or need to know. Looking at a return just for the hell of it is illegal and you could lose your job.

[RC]

2. And people working for the IRS have lost their jobs for looking.

[left is right]

13. I don’t work for IRS but the Census bureau

occasionally it is possible that I might see IRS co-mingled data. I honestly don’t know whether I have or not. What I do know is that I annually make a signed declaration/oath to protect the privacy of Census data and another one to protect IRS data. The fines are huge but there are also prison sentences for disclosure. I am also obligated to lockdown my 11 letters, numbers and special characters password-protected work station when I leave it for any reason

[Solomon]

14. Its not could lose your job, its you will lose your job.

And you will go to jail. That's how serious they take it. They even have computer watchers watching where you go on those computers and they will send you an inquiry about why you went somewhere, if they see something that makes them wonder why you went there.

[mysuzuki2]

3. I'm sure it is. When I worked at SSA you better have a good reason for

looking at someone's info. AND they kept track. If I had looked up Mitt or any other prominant person, my boss would have an alert within minutes and I would have been in her office explaining myself not long after. I'm sure IRS has similar safeguards in place. At least for the rank and file employees.

[Posteritatis]

8. Yep. Someone got instantly pounced for trying that with Obama a couple of years ago. (nt)

[unblock]

4. as it stands now, and as a general principal, hell yes it's secret. however,

privacy for ordinary taxpayers is a very, VERY good idea.

however, so is disclosure for people who make the voluntary decision to seek federal office.

right now, such disclosure is subject only to political pressures, but it would not be unreasonable to make such disclosures automatic for anyone who puts their name on the ballot, at least for federal office.

[PoliticAverse]

5. IRS employee charged with illegally accessing celebrity tax records

Jun 12 2008

An Internal Revenue Service tax examiner has been charged with snooping into the tax records of nearly 200 actors, celebrities, professional athletes, and even his next-door neighbor.

http://www.accountingweb.com/topic/watchdog/irs-employee-charged-illegally-accessing-celebrity-tax-records

[cthulu2016]

6. As long as they go to jail for 20 years, that's fine

Seriously, Nixon's use of IRS files and GHW Bush's raid on Bill Clinton's passport records were not shocking and immoral just because those guys were Republicans.

[Motown_Johnny]

7. I assume that people with high enough security clearance can get away with anything.

For all we know there is something buried in the Patriot Act that makes it legal.

Given that Nixon had people breaking into his opponent's headquarters forty years ago, the idea that someone hasn't explored the possibility of an audit seems unlikely.

[moondust]

10. Just what I was thinking.

Would Nixon do it?

I have no doubt that slimy Republicans would but I don't know about anybody else.

[dembotoz]

9. one of the big things in watergate if i remember was nixon going after tax records

last thing obama needs if for something like this.

[bluestateguy]

11. You're also dealing with the Hatch Act as well

That is, government workers releasing confidential documents in the thick of a political campaign.

If that were to happen, the media would shift the story from Ramney's questionable taxes to how, why and who illegally released the documents. That would not end up good for the Obama campaign.

[Booster]

12. Just a little warning, although I had no idea. I was applying for a re-fi loan years ago, and

the agent had me send in 2 yrs worth of tax returns. Come to find out my tax lady had made a typo of $10,000 on my return which I am ashamed to say I didn't check. The asshole turned me into the IRS and apparently got 10% for doing so. I'd be willing to bet this guy did that on a regular basis - why else would he be checking returns that closely. So tax returns are not totally secret & can show up. You know Mitt's returns are out there someplace.