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. :)

-- 
dik
Rendered 50,081,587,200 of 50,081,587,200 pixels (100%)

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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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Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> 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

Sad when nations start to behave like corporate internet or phone providers.

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