A tax collector is someone who collects taxes, whether they are federal or local. In general, many jurisdictions have replaced the term tax collector with a term that carries less of a negative connotation. The purpose of a tax collector, whatever it is called, is to collect taxes owed to the government and to resolve any discrepancies.
A tax collector’s job is very different today than it was centuries ago. Many people are familiar with biblical or historical accounts of ancient tax collectors. It was always a man’s job because it required a certain amount of toughness. Many people despised the tax collector, who had a reputation for being easily bribed and bought off by those in positions of power.
Because tax collector has such a negative connotation, other terms have come to mean the same thing. Agents work for the Internal Revenue Service. Auditors, treasurers, and comptrollers may serve as tax collectors for states and counties. In general, the goal remains the same.
In modern times, being a tax collector is not as dangerous or as susceptible to bribes as it was in ancient times. Most tax collectors now use a computer to find discrepancies, and they are overseen by a series of redundant checks that keep everyone in line. While it is still possible to uncover corruption, concealing it for an extended period of time is becoming increasingly difficult.
Taxes are now primarily collected through automated systems and the Internet, as well as through the mail. Property tax notices are sent out, and income tax filing deadlines are set. If those taxes are not paid, it may be necessary for a live person to intervene. The government’s situation becomes more critical at this point.
In many cases, even delinquent taxpayers will never interact with a live tax collector. The correspondence is conducted entirely by letter or possibly over the phone. Only in exceptional circumstances will an individual be visited by someone attempting to collect taxes.
The only exception is IRS agents who may visit high-net-worth individuals or businesses. These agents are typically high-paid specialists tasked with locating large amounts of unpaid taxes. As a result, seeing a tax collector is relatively uncommon unless one owns a business, works for a business, or is in the top 2% of income earners. If an IRS special agent comes to visit, the person who is being visited should seek legal advice, as this is usually the result of a criminal investigation.