Off the Hook at Last!

Off The Hook

Wahoo! Huzzah! We’re finally off the hook with the IRS!

My wife made a small error in filling out our 2019 tax return–put a number on the wrong line–and they came after us for $600.

How many times did she call them to explain the error and ask for it to be corrected? I don’t know–lots and lots of times. Hours spent on hold. King COVID wreaked havoc on the day-to-day operations of the IRS: people working at home without certain computer access, phones not being answered, unable EVER to speak to the same agent twice, etc., etc. It was driving us crazy–and then the threats started. Pay this sum by such-and-such a date or we’ll freeze your bank account. Or send centaurs to your door in the middle of the night.

So we got a letter from the IRS today. O frabjous day!

The key to the message–“Amount Due: $0.00”.

I had to restrain my wife from running out in the rain and doing cartwheels on the sidewalk. And she had to restrain me.

Tortured by the Tax Man

See the source image

Well, this day is shaping up to be a real rotter.

Because of a combined screw-up by the IRS and our bank in 2019, today our phone is tied up, there is no access to the breakfast table because it’s knee-deep in paperwork, I can’t eat unless I want to do it standing up, my wife is listening to endless streams of wretched muzak as she tries to get through to someone, anyone, at the IRS–gee, this could take all day! And then, and only then, can we do our grocery shopping!

The IRS says we owe money on our taxes. We had that money withheld for taxes, but the bank never bothered to finish the transaction. So far it has taken 40 minutes of phone time and we have yet to speak to anyone. Call the bank, and they make you listen to muzak for 15 minutes before a recorded voice tells you they won’t be answering their phone.

I want my breakfast.

Sorry, Charlie, government comes first!