On Fri, 26 Feb 2021 16:33:41 -0500, Dick Balaska wrote:

> On 2/26/2021 7:06 AM, Bald Eagle wrote:
> 
> 
>> Government: You owe us money.
>> Citizen: I do? How much do I owe?
>> Government: YOU have to figure that out.
>> Citizen: So, I just pay what I want?
>> Government: No - we know _exactly_ how much you owe, but it's up to you
>> to figure out how much that is.
>> Citizen: What if I get it wrong?
>> Government: You go to prison.
>> 
>> 
> *this*.  It drives me crazy.  Once I made a mistake and they sent me and
> my (now and then) ex-wife a check for a dollar.  WTF?  I spend $70 on
> tax software and still can't get it right? Why don't you just tell me
> what I owe or get for a refund?
> I never cashed that check and they send one to me every year. :)

My 2011 taxes (I think it was) were audited in 2014, and the IRS claimed 
that I owed them for taking money out of my IRA (post-tax contributions 
from the basis, not from the gains from the investment choices) along 
with some money for unreported book royalties (because that myth about 
income from a source < $600 is just that - a myth).

It took almost 6 months in total - initial letter, scramble to figure out 
what happened, mail letter to them with explanation, get second demand, 
refer to first letter and include a cheque for the royalty taxes owed - 
about $3 (seriously).

A couple months later, get another letter from the IRS that effectively 
read "OK, we're good."

The original demand was for > $3,000.

The good news is, I didn't go to prison for failing to report that $25 
royalty payment. :D

-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

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