I am reminded of the old Beatles song "The Taxman" upon writing this
entry. I don't know all the words, but basically it all boils down to
'He's going to get you, and there ain't no way out of it." My absence
from this site for the week, was primarily due to spending all my
precious free time on piles of documentation, and gathering personal
records for the Internal Revenue Service. Don't you just love that name?
If I had not been so thoroughly frustrated this week, I think I might
laugh. Whoever is the author of that famous phrase; "Nothing is sure but
death and Taxes" was a very wise man. I cannot think of anything so
determinedly more permanent or final than the word Tax. Now maybe you
have not had any hassles or problems and have just skated along,
blessedly with most of your paycheck intact and very happy about the
adjusted 'outcome'. I am one of those that is not a happy camper. I
cannot get into a long story here, but it was not Income Tax Evasion. It
was just a 'simple' matter of being left with an unfair proportion of
the tax bill from my dearly 'expatriated' ex. I could not keep up with
my Quarterlies because of that, and got behind for three years. I even
set up a payment plan with the IRS right away. I file on time and when I
got back up on my feet, I also stayed current with the Quarterlies. You
have no idea how outrageous the penalties and interest are. Someone told
me they can sometimes be more than $25 a day. I had heard about an Offer
in Compromise. Unfortunately the "Kindlier and more Gentle" IRS is a
'Stupider' IRS. You cannot get the same answer from anyone , no matter
which department you reach. I applied in September of 2000. In April of
the following year they asked for more info. By the end of 2001 I was
wondering what took so long. I was informed that the person that was
working on my case was no longer there. /Who was it assigned to ?/ I
asked, expecting to get a logical answer. She told me that no one else
had been assigned. I was surprised. / You mean it has just been sitting
on someone's desk?!/ 'Uh, yes I guess so', was her response. Being the
"don't give up the ship" person that I am, I got the ball rolling again.
In August of 2002, I received an official IRS letter in the mail. It
very casually informed me that the forms I had submitted were obsolete
and they were enclosing new ones to be resubmitted.
##**^^**$#####!!!***!!!!!(I cannot print my real reaction on this public
Blog) The story goes on and on. You just wouldn't even believe the rest
of it If I told you anyway. I have now gone online and also called some
numbers of 'Tax Relief' promo letters I have gotten in the mail. Each
company says what the other one told me is a pack of lies and there is
no way if I approach it from that angle, the IRS will even give me a
break. Others ("the best specialists in the country", they say) let me
know of all their great references and how they have helped 98%!(can you
imagine that!) of the people that come to them for Tax advice. The
difference in fees is astounding....even from attorneys...ranging from
$250 to $2800. The guy who offered to do it for $250 says his company
has been in business for over 8 years and the other companies
overacharge for nothing because there really isn't any 'representation'
at all. Just a bunch of forms being taken care of and mailed in to the
IRS. * Then what do I need you for ?* I asked him. I really don't
believe there is anything you can do about lowering your taxes unless
you have a maven for a CPA or Tax Accountant. From the first time I ever
voted , and from the very first 'adult', after college paycheck I ever
received, I never saw any major differences in my Tax burden. No matter
who is in the White House, there doesn't seem to be any changes in my
check. If you are self-employed, it is even worse because you are paying
double Social Security; since you are both the 'employer' and the
'employee'. With all my expenses, I am no millionaire. (But it is so
nice not to have a boss!) The only big tax break California ever saw was
the passing of Prop. 13 which lowered property taxes substantially for
all homeowners. But the IRS ? Forget it! You pay less in your dreams. My
Canadian cousin is tired of my whining. He told me I should come up to
Canada to live and work and find out what real heavy duty taxes are! He
seems to think Americans are spoiled as far as complaining about taxes
in comparison with the rest of the world. I suppose he's right. But I
keep thinking of those guys at the Boston Tea Party and all the fun they
had.............and if we are spoiled we do so like to quote the
Constitution and stick with our hopelessly romantic ideas of paying less
to our dear Uncle Sam. Hmm.............. I suppose maybe us Americans
should have more respect for our elders, even when do get our bottoms
spanked once in a while. After all we are spoiled! Peach Supporter of
the *Tax Free America * (not to be confused with Range Free Chickens)