# Births and Taxes (Long and borderline MPSIMS) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 15, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514 "2005-04-15T18:07:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/1 "2005-04-15T18:07:51Z")
Top Two dumb-ass things I’ve done this tax season. (Sorry, I don’t know this **OpalCat** you speak of) 1. Following the instructions on a schedule or a form or a worksheet or some shit: > [@](#): > > If the amount shown on form 1040 line 37 [adjusted gross income] is more than $140,117 you may not use this form. Me (\* actually checking line 37\*): Hmm, let’s see. Did I gross more than $140,117. Nope. Did I miss any W-2’s for $140,000? Nope. (Back to schedule or form or worksheet or whatever.) \*\*Warning: may not be humorous to those making anywhere close to $140,000/yr \*\* 1. Setting aside enough money to compensate for the relatively large payment I have to make to the fed today. This made a lot of sense until shortly after the phone rang at about 4:40 pm last night. ME: Yellow? [Very hip, what?] Mother of my child; how I lacked discretion: Hey, I have a couple of questions for you. ME: (With unsuspecting obliviousness) Shoot! Momchild: Do you know where his lunch box is? Me: Yes, I have it. Momchild: Is he going to have a summer program on Saturdays? Me: Yes. Momchild: When does that start? ME: April 30th at two thirty. Momchild: If I don’t get a thousand dollars by the end of the day, I’m going to be evicted! ME: (Not detecting an actual question) … Momchild: I’ve tried everyone I can think of… ME: (Still not hearing a question) … Momchild: I get paid next Friday… ME: (sensing a faint tingling in my wallet) uh… I don’t have a thousand dollars. [See dumb-ass #1] Momchild: (Using silence to better effect than I) … ME: I mean, I have some money saved for taxes… Momchild: Well, can I park my car in your driveway and borrow an extra blanket for my infant child? [Not my child BTW] ME: I _had_some money saved for taxes. (Crossing off all entries on things-to-do-this-month list requiring more than $0.25 cash.) Og, help me, I’m just not that bright! If I don’t post again before [April, 17th](http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxfreedomday.html), happy tax freedom day! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/2 "2005-04-17T12:28:06Z")
I suppose it’s too late now, but isn’t there **anyone** else she could have called? ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/3 "2005-04-17T16:16:24Z")
Lovely. Nice how she put everything off until the very last minute, so you couldn’t send the money through your local CSEA and get credit for it. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/4 "2005-04-17T17:19:24Z")
Maybe it’s the lack of caffeine, but what is this thread about? Are these 2 different pittings? Are points 1 and 2 related? Seriously, I’ve read it 3 times now and just don’t get it. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/5 "2005-04-17T17:26:19Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > I suppose it’s too late now, but isn’t there **anyone** else she could have called? Apparently, everyone else was tapped. While I am feeling less bitter about this after the passage of a few days I would like to include one more comment. Although she has “guaranteed” she will pay me back on Friday, I have determined from previous experience that giving her money is exactly like throwing it in the toilet. I’m out the money and I have to get someone to help me clean up the mess. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/6 "2005-04-17T17:33:50Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Apparently, everyone else was tapped. Tapped: brighter, more intellegent; less gullible, savvy. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/7 "2005-04-17T17:35:01Z")
Something you may not be aware of that at least used to be true: If you owe on your taxes but don’t have the money to send in when you file, in about a month the IRS will send you a notice of how much you owe and an offer to set up a payment plan, at non-usurious interest rates. And as long as you make the payments timely, you’ll pay a small penalty for being late but won’t end up being hauled off to the slammer or anything. This happened to me once a number of years ago, when I was a single mom living (barely) from paycheck to paycheck; I couldn’t pay but filed on time to avoid yet more penalties, got the notice a month later, made my payments on time, and everybody was happy. This is what they call the newer, nicer IRS. Which, rarely, it actually is. But paying on 4/15 is still obviously preferable, just to avoid the aggravation – and in case in the ensuing years, they’ve changed that policy, which is always a possibility. I have no idea whatsoever whether they’ve changed it, but I suspect they haven’t since there are often people who can’t pay even though they file timely. The IRS also does have people you can call and work out a payment plan with. They even have problem resolution people who are actually paid to be _nice_; I know because I used to have a friend who was one of that group. They don’t publicize it, obviously; they want everyone to be afraid of them, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/8 "2005-04-17T18:36:43Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#): > > Something you may not be aware of that at least used to be true: If you owe on your taxes but don’t have the money to send in when you file, in about a month the IRS will send you a notice of how much you owe and an offer to set up a payment plan That does help. Thank you. Like I said, I’m feeling less bitter after a little reflection. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/9 "2005-04-17T20:02:30Z")
**Mama Tiger** is right. I had to do this last year (thanks to **Jaade’s** mom!). I filed on time, sent no money whatsoever and a few months later they sent me a remarkably nice (especially for the IRS!) letter telling me that I owed the money and I should call the number provided. They happily worked with me and even let me file an extension on the money owed when an unrelated problem emerged and I couldn’t pay by the original deadline. On a happier (for me) note, this year I almost broke even. Got $40 back federal, owed $44 in state taxes. MUCH better than last year. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/births-and-taxes-long-and-borderline-mpsims/299514/10 "2005-04-17T20:54:10Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Apparently, everyone else was tapped. I see.