Flash: The government is broken.

[trof]

I inadvertently underpaid my 2007 income taxes.
The details aren't germane, although it has to do with paying tax on my social security payments and I could do a whole rant on just that.

Anyway...I get an IRA notice a few days ago that I owe an additional $2923.57.
whew

So I check the numbers and do the math and it looks like they may have made some relatively small errors in their favor.
I owe them $15 less than they say.
So I call the number they tell me to call if I have a problem with their claim.
I get an interminable phone tree and finally work my way through to waiting to talk to an actual person.
And then "All lines are busy now. Please call back later or on another day."
3 times, so far.

Eventually I select a choice that will tell me how much I owe.
The recording tells me that my 'payoff' amount is $1733.65.
Hunh?
Now I'm totally confused.

I call another IRA help line number.
Same dance.

I call the 'local' IRA office, 50 miles away.
"This is a recorded message for the purpose of taking messages only blah blah blah."
In other words "We don't want to talk to you."

Now I guess I have no choice except to call my do-nothing repuke congressman.
:grr:

[Mist]

1. Is there an indication that what they call a "payoff amount is the same thing

as what you owe? (in other words, maybe there's something tricky here--if "payoff" ISN'T the same as the total you owe, they can still dun you for the remainder.) Is it time to consult a professional accountant?

By all means, call your congress critter--he may actually be able to put you in contact with an actual person to talk to.

My understanding is that much of tax collecting has been given over to private companies. That may be why the level of service is so poor. Not to stick up for the old IRS, but it didn't used to be hard at all to find someone to talk to. The phone menu run-around is notorious at private companies.

[elizfeelinggreat]

4. uh-oh

"My understanding is that much of tax collecting has been given over to private companies."

That will not turn out well.

[trof]

6. Of course I have no idea because...

I CAN'T TALK TO THE BASTARDS!
:grr:

[raccoon]

2. ANother thing you might go is send them a certified letter, return receipt, nt

[Warpy]

3. I live in a city with a local IRS office

and immediately post transplant, I got a letter from the IRS saying my dad's last tax return needed to be signed by him or have an official IRS power of attorney attached to it. So, since my dead and cremated dad was in no shape to sign anything, I hoofed it down to the office and presented them with a death certificate and the general power of attorney I had before he died. They helped my blind self fill out the paperwork and submit a photocopy of the return, the original of which they had now lost.

Six months later, I got another letter from the IRS demanding my dead dad sign his return or provide them with an official IRS power of attorney. At that point, I lost it and wrote them a letter that I'm sure curled the hair in their noses.

Three weeks later, I finally got his tax refund.

Since there's a large discrepancy and they also made errors on your return, I'd suggest making the 50 mile drive. It might save you money. Or, if you drive a gas guzzler, contact a local tax attorney. He'll save you money, too. In any case, the IRS is broken because tax law that Reagan assured us would be so simple we could send our returns in on postcards has become so complicated that nobody understands all of it.

Good luck.

[trof]

7. At least I drive a Prius.

So the trip wouldn't bankrupt me.
But the time involved...
And why can't I just pick up the damned phone and talk to them?
bastids

[elizfeelinggreat]

5. The government is broken, indeed.

That's exactly how the Republicans wanted it.

Broken or drowned in the bathtub, same difference.

[trof]

8. There ya go.

[uppityperson]

9. I had to call them several times to finally get put on hold. Keep trying.

Or try later tonight since they are open late. I had to try several times, finally got through far enough to be on hold for 10 minutes, then talked to a very nice man who told me the amended return would take another month to go through, and besides why hadn't I replied to the letter they sent, that I never got, in my locking mailbox.

So, he put through a request to resend the letter, in another 6 weeks. Sigh.