How many of us really think that people who purchase gas guzzlers should get a tax refund that was set to be given for purchasing an environmentally friendly car? Discovery today reported that nearly 13,000 US taxpayers claimed a total of $33 million for the electric car tax credit incentive. This was revealed today in a Treasury Department inspector general report.
The tax credits were meant to be for plug-in hybrid and electric-only vehicles to be awarded under the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The credit was about $7,500 federal tax rebate check for those who purchase such cars. People who claimed the credit included those who owned a Hummer H3, a Dodge Durango and a Cadillac Escalade.
People were found to be claiming the credit for the purchase of a golf cart too. The report also said that among the filers were 29 prisoners, claiming a total of $49,926 in vehicle credits.
The IRS said in a statement said that it was taking “aggressive steps to recapture the credits people erroneously claimed”.