Security Clearance and IRS Tax Debt

Posted on January 08, 2014

According to a recent government report, approximately 8,400 people with federal security clearance, including secret and top-secret clearances, owed approximately $85,000,000.00 to the IRS as of June 30, 2012.

According to the report, approximately 6,300 of these individuals accrued the tax after they obtained their security clearance. Approximately 4,700 of these individuals were government employees while the rest were contractors or other employees.

Federal law does not prohibit individuals that owe money to the IRS from holding a security clearance. However, these individuals may be a risk because they are more likely to engage in illegal acts to cover their tax debts. Of the 8,400 individuals who owed money to the IRS, approximately 4,200 of them were eligible for top-secret clearance.

Do you think that government employees who owe money to the IRS should be allowed to work for the government?

Does your answer change if these individuals are eligible for top-secret security clearance?

Photo Source: indiamart.com