The IRS just sent out a wave of letters to over 500,000 current and former federal employees, warning them of outstanding tax debt.
Each letter begins with the bold message: “Urgent: You have an outstanding tax issue.” But here’s the kicker, most of the recipients are already on payment plans.
So why is the government doing this?
It just so happens these letters were sent shortly after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed a new rule to make it easier to fire federal employees who don’t meet certain “suitability” standards, including failure to meet “generally applicable legal obligations” like filing and paying taxes.
That “suitability” clause? It’s part of a proposed update to federal hiring and firing criteria from the OPM. And while IRS privacy laws typically bar the agency from sharing individual tax records with other departments, experts warn that this mass mailing may lay the groundwork for dismissals under the new guidelines, if they take effect.
The letter doesn’t explicitly threaten consequences, but it does include a pointed reminder that federal employees are expected to “lead by example” when it comes to paying taxes.
Is this just an overdue notice, or a warning shot tied to a broader purge effort? Either way, it raises real concerns about privacy, selective enforcement, and political targeting under the guise of “suitability.”
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