Americans failed to pay record $688 billion in taxes in 2021, IRS says. Look for more audits.

Americans failed to pay $688 billion in taxes on their 2021 returns, a record level, according to a new estimate from the IRS. The agency said that it is taking "urgent" steps to increase compliance such as auditing more high-income taxpayers as well as businesses and partnerships. 

The $688 billion estimate reflects the first time the IRS is providing information about the so-called tax gap on an annual basis, with the agency noting in a Thursday statement that it plans to continue providing the data on a yearly basis. The number reflects an increase of more than $138 billion from estimates for tax years 2017 to 2019, the agency said. 

The IRS is ratcheting up audits on wealthy taxpayers, part of its directive after receiving billions in new funding through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The agency has said it wants to go after higher earners who skirt their tax obligations in order to help close the tax gap and raise more money for federal coffers, which will be used for programs like the IRA's $370 billion in green energy investments.