Tuesday, July 20, 2010

General Blather vs. The IRS

I finally got around to filing my 2009 taxes. Not to fret, I filed an extension. I found an awesome lady to prepare my taxes, and with her mad accountant mojo skillz, I get a return just short of $5K.

Well, wouldn't you know, being the bad procrastinator I am, forgot to file for 2008? Well, Uber-Tax Lady did that return as well, with a comparable refund as well . By the end of summer, I should be flush with a little cash.

The State of Missouri also took note of this.

I have a long, storied history with the state of Missouri's Department of Revenue. I work in one state, live in another. This means I get to file taxes in two states, pay in one, get credit in the other. Why I didn't just buy a house in Kansas when I went looking to buy a house, I don't really have an answer to that. Anyway, I got a letter from the Mo Dept of Rev folks, and they happily informed me that I owed a shitload of money for 2007.

I'm going to call bullshit. Sadly, this happened before a few years ago. I did my taxes (on time), mailed in all the appropriate forms, and weeks later they send me a letter basically saying, "We amended your tax forms so you have to pay us a shitload now. We don't care that you filed in Kansas." I actually had to have a lawyer resend them my forms with a nice letter telling them to fuck off. That seemed to placate them, and they went away for a couple years. Now they are at it again...with a vengeance.

So, here goes again, with the resending of the forms, the fuck you letter. My tax forms for that year have been looked over. No errors. There's no logical reason for me to owe them money.

It makes me wonder how often this happens to other people. Do they fight it? Question it? Or become fearful and pay the amount because they don't know any better. Is this truly an oversight, or is the great Show-Me-State trying to bilk people out of extra money so they can pay for brand new highways that collapse into sinkholes?

The federal IRS people can't help. They were exceptionally nice, especially when the agent I spoke to just spent a half an hour with a woman who argued that the trailer she owned wasn't considered a house, and therefore she should be eligible for the new home credit.

I couldn't work for the IRS. Too many codes, idiots, and people threatening to blow up your house. I'll deal with blood and death, thank you.

Meanwhile, I relish the idea of getting a new patio door on my house. And pay off my cruise for next year.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let me know when you're ready to do that patio door. If you don't have me do it, at least I can keep you from getting screwed by a crummy contractor!

Cartoon said...

I have had run ins not only with IRS but also CRA (Revenue Canada) When I moved back to canada, apparently they had still wanted me to file in Canada for the 5 years i lived in the USA, never mind that I was actually intending on staying.
When I moved back to canada, the USA got on my case and told me I owed them a shit load of money for the past 7 years since I had moved back to canada.
You can't win. I personally believe it is a "Make work" project on the part of the bean counters at all levels...they have to justify their existence. Unlike us, who actually DO work - they are so totally unaccountable and they have to get their "quota" no matter how they do it. The fact that they folded so easily last time, reinforces this idea. If they felt they were in the right they would have kept at it. Hey, I would just photo copy the last lawyers letter from 2 years ago and write a nice little cover letter telling them that it was already dealt with and please leave you alone since this is harassment and your tax filing is within the legal parameters....the government misfile crap all the time. They prob just need a little reminder. :) as you say, they are all idiots. (this is the former CALL ME NURSE aka cartoon charachters aka Anurse!)