So I open my mail yesterday, expecting that big, fat $50 income tax refund check for the year 2001. I only filed my taxes on Feb 15, so it should be coming any day now, right? Yesterday, I get a letter from the IRS saying:
Now, being an independent contractor, I’m not enough of a schmuck to try to do my own taxes. I have mine done every year. This really cheeses me off. Maybe I’d feel differently if the letter said “We recognized an error on your return. As a result, you owe $49.00.” I think I’d be okay with that. But they didn’t say that. They said, “we changed your 2001 return.” As if it’s an arbitrary measure. Oh, and I get this yesterday, telling me to pay it by 4/29. Not that that’ll be a problem. It’s the principle more than anything.
Did they happen to mention what those changes were, or are you expected to take their word for it? After all, if you have to document everything out the wazoo for them, it only seems fair that they should have to do the same. But then, I don’t understand government very well…
I’d say you owe a call to your accountant. That’s what they’re there for. And if he or she screwed up at least you can let off some steam chewing on them for a while.
But I love my accountant. Bill’s a good guy. Really!
I hate the IRS too. Or is is Visa I should hate.
We do not have the $4000 we need to pay our tax. At least not liquid. It takes three days to liquidate mutual funds, and we’re not sure when our home equity check will arrive (we’d hoped for it Friday, no luck). Sooooo… it’s either play the float game (not appealing) or pay by credit card.
You know how Visa Is Everywhere You Want to Be? Oh no it’s not. They’ll take Amex, Mastercard, or Discover, but not Visa.
Try sorting out stuff when you live internationally. I especially love those notices that say pay by xx date or you will incur penalties and interest. I of course always receive the letter after that date has passed.
The most recent one threatens to garnish my wages. Good luck buddy, I’m sure the Chinese government will give you a helping hand with that one.
1-800 numbers don’t work internationally. I spent over an hour on intl bills the other day trying to get through. Screw it, the phone charges will be greater than any interest penalty I’m accrusing.
To be fair though, the problems I’m having sorting out my 2000 return were because I didn’t simply add up several columns. Argh.
We’re filing the most complicated return of our lives, and halfway through getting records together for an accountant, Mr. Legend decided he could just do it all himself. We considered filing an extension, but we finally just figured that once we’d gone through enough forms and publications to figure out what we owed, we might as well just file the damn thing and let them audit us. After all, what’s the worst they can do to us (if anyone’s inclined in that direction, we can use prayers)?
Then we went on to try to file our state return online. Our state has a blessedly simple form, and a child could fill it out. Except that they don’t recall us sending them the $750 we paid for the third quarter, and their site won’t let us file online unless we accept that we owe that much more. So we’ll be sending that one in by mail and fighting with them about it later.
April really is the cruellest month.
Yeah, I’m curious to know what they would have changed for you that would make a $99 difference.
I’m just pissed that I had to pay $233. Had they not sent out those dang blasted checks last year, I’d have actually gotten $67 back!
Oh well. Such is life with the IRS. Plus, the $300 sat in my money market account gathering interest, so I shouldn’t really complain.
Is all I can say cuz I owe and don’t have the cash to pay them. I don’t even have a credit card, I live a simple life until today.