Over 275,000 Federal Workers Are Tax Deadbeats

Over 276,000 federal workers and retirees owed more than $3 billion in back income taxes in 2008 (up from $2.7 billion owed in 2007).

The cabinet departments with the largest percentages of employee/retiree tax deadbeats are:

1. Housing & Urban Development:  4.05%
2. Veterans Affairs:  3.91%
3. Health & Human Services:  3.86%
4. Army:  3.76%
5. Education:  3.60%
6. Air Force:  3.25%
7. Defense:  3.16%
8. State:  3.14%
9. Navy:  3.01%
10. Commerce:  3.00%

The agencies and commissions with the largest percentages of employee/retiree tax deadbeats are:

1. National Capital Planning Commission: 10.42%
2. Advisory Council on Historic preservation:  9.26%
3. U.S. Office of Special Counsel:  8.65%
4. U.S. Election Assistance Commission:  8.51%
5. Federal Labor Relations Authority:  7.20%
6. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights:  7.14%
7. Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission:  6.82%
8. Government Printing Office:  6.29%
9. Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board:  5.33%
10. Court Services & Offender Supervisors:  5.23%

Other departments and agencies:

• Federal Reserve Board:  4.32%
• U.S. House of Representatives:  4.17%
• U.S. Senate:  3.19%
• SEC:  2.56%
• U.S. Tax Court:  1.43%
• Treasury Department:  0.98% (the lowest delinquency rate among cabinet departments)

Press and blogosphere coverage:

• Associated Press
• Don't Mess With Taxes
• Fox News
• InstaPundit
• The Tax Lawyer's Blog