WASHINGTON (AP) — As millions of Americans race to meet Tuesday's tax deadline, their chances of getting audited are lower than they've been in years.

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Budget cuts and new responsibilities are straining the Internal Revenue Service's ability to police tax returns.

This year, the IRS will have fewer agents auditing returns than at any time since at least the 1980s.

Taxpayer services are suffering, too, with millions of phone calls to the IRS going unanswered.

Last year, the IRS audited less than 1 percent of all returns from individuals, the lowest rate since 2005.

This year, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen says the numbers will go down.

The IRS budget is down nearly $1 billion from a few years ago, just as the agency is gearing up to enforce the president's health law.

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