The IRS has been focusing more on the lower and middle class for tax audits since 2010, and leaving wealthier folks alone, according to an article in Forbes. Citing IRS statistics, the article points out that, in the past five years, tax audit risk for families earning less than $100,000 a year has increased by 17 percent. Conversely, tax audit risk for families earning more has decreased by 8 percent. Why? Mainly because it’s easier, according to Forbes—lower income filers tend to have less complex returns to the point where most of them can actually be handled by automated processes. In contrast, wealthier individuals have more access to financial professionals, who can minimize their tax burden while still staying within the limits of the law, said Forbes. It also cites budget cuts, saying that the more experienced auditors who would be equipped to handle audits of high net worth individuals are retiring, and due to lack of funds, the service can’t replace them.