The IRS has revised its form for whistleblowers to report tax violations and to apply for a monetary award in return for the information, Accounting Today reported.

The revised Form 211, "Application for Award for Original Information," became available on March 25, the IRS said in an email. The IRS Whistleblower Office allows a 60-day grace period during which it will continue to accept and process the previous version of Form 211 (Rev. 7-2018). After this grace period, Form 211 (Rev. 3-2024) must be used to submit a whistleblower claim.

Accounting Today reported that some of the main revisions to the whistleblower award form include the following:

● Addition of expandable input data fields;
● Addition of informational boxes and expanded instructions on how to complete the form;
● Updated alleged violation issues to select from;
● Added option for multiple whistleblowers to submit a claim jointly; and
● QR codes for quick access to whistleblower program information.

“Claims for award[s] that provide specific and credible information regarding tax underpayments or violations of internal revenue laws and that lead to proceeds collected may qualify for an award,” the IRS Whistleblower Office explains on its website. “In general, the IRS will pay an award of at least 15 percent, but not more than 30 percent, of the proceeds collected attributable to the information submitted by the whistleblower. The award percentage decreases for claims based on information from public sources or if the whistleblower planned and initiated the actions that led to the noncompliance.”

To qualify for the award program under the relevant sections of the Internal Revenue Code, the information must relate to a tax noncompliance matter in which the tax, penalties, interest, additions to tax, and additional proceeds in dispute exceed $2,000,000, and relate to a taxpayer, and for individual taxpayers only, one whose gross income exceeds $200,000 for at least one of the tax years in question.