IG: IRS Paid $6B in Bogus Child Tax Credits

A government investigator says the IRS paid at least $6 billion in child tax credits in 2013 to people who weren't eligible to receive them.

Payments went to families that mistakenly claimed the tax credit or claimed the wrong amount, as well as taxpayers who committed fraud. Those were the findings of an audit released Tuesday by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

More than 36 million families will claim the $1,000 per-child tax credit this year. Millions of low-income families qualify for the credit even though they don't make enough money to pay federal income tax.

These families receive the credit in the form of a tax refund. The audit focused on payments to these families.

The IRS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.