After listening to the podcast partly about abuses of tax payers by the IRS from Meet The New Press Sat., it reminded me of two articles I had written that were published in the Monitor on Nov. 7 and 27, 2006 respectfully. Here they are for your reading pleasure. Plus, it’s a rainy, lazy Sunday, and I would rather read than write blogs today. Sorry guys, but I’m in the middle of a really great book.
"This is how the IRS wastes your money
Ok, I accept that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. But is this ridiculous or what?
On the same day I received in the mail a notice that there was still due $7.19 on my son’s 2005 tax return and simultaneously a notice that there was a credit of $3.69 for his 2004 return. I opened these because I handle his finances and taxes and I have his permission. These “notices” contained about 12 sheets of paper each and instructions on what to do.
I’m not a math genius (obviously neither is the IRS) but this would wash out to him owing a whopping $3.50.
Yeah, you say, so what? But this is not the best part.
The IRS graciously included the following statement on the $3.69 credit: “We reduced your account balance to zero because the amount owed was so small.”
On the $7.19 balance he owed, the IRS said: “If we receive your payment by November 27, 2006, we will not charge additional penalty and interest.”
I wrote back to the IRS regarding the $7.19 with the following statement: “I reduced his account balance to zero because the amount owed was so small.”
I’m guessing an arrest warrant will be issued for my son for tax evasion sometime around 2008, but I can live with that just to make my point….but then I won’t be the one going to jail for failing to pay $3.50 to the government, ha! I sure hope my son shares my great sense of humor!
Does anyone know if you can be arrested for sending a smart aleck response to the IRS? Probably not, since I recently read that there is some $30 MILLION due the IRS from people who haven’t paid any taxes for years. They must be really busy wasting paper and sending notices to those people so perhaps I’ll be overlooked.
If not perhaps me and my son can be sent to a co-ed prison where we can wile away the hours researching how we can advise the federal government on how to waste more natural resources and time and money so as to further take advantage of more hardworking, tax paying citizens.
You can’t learn this lesson on your 1040
Since my piece, "This is how the IRS wastes your money," appeared in the Nov. 7 Monitor as a "My turn," I’ve found out some other disturbing information regarding the IRS.
It costs $20 minimum every time the IRS sends out a notice to us taxpayers. Therefore, the two notices my son received cost taxpayers $40 to attempt to collect $3.50.
After I wrote the IRS a letter to reduce his account balance to zero, he called to make sure it had been done and talked to an actual person (after going through an 8-part phone tree). The people there are “working on it”, but it will take a couple weeks.
The good news is that the IRS actually found out (upon checking his file) that they owe him over $17 for interest and penalties it shouldn’t have charged him.
Whoopee! He now gets money instead of having to pay $3.50! I’ve asked him if I can have it since I really need a couple of stiff drinks at this point.
When he asked about the $3.69 the IRS originally owed him and why the agency had arbitrarily written that off, he was told that he could request the refund by phone. He asked where it says that in the documents the IRS sent him, and the kind lady replied: “it doesn’t say that anywhere in the documents.” We taxpayers and preparers are apparently supposed to be mind readers as well.
My son shares my frustration to the point that he has decided to run for President and hire me as Director of the IRS, since he knows I’m tenacious in attempting to right wrongs and cut waste. I recycle, don’t wear fur, support our troops, keep a tidy house, yada, yada, yada. Plus my son trusts me implicitly and vice versa.
So, we would sincerely appreciate your vote for W. Ryan Paris in the upcoming Presidential election. While he’s only 21 with no political experience (personally I think that’s a good thing), he does appear to “know” right from wrong and possesses some common sense. He graduated from High School in 3 years and is a successful professional snowboarder. So he has great people skills, performs well under pressure and has traveled the world.
Meanwhile, I’d highly recommend you call the IRS yourself and ask to have your tax returns double-checked. Maybe you, too, are owed some money and we could all meet for drinks. I did get several phone calls after my first article, and I’ve already made some new friends."
BY JUDY