Some news about the IRS, according to smart.com:
Think your data is safe with the IRS? Think again. With a new computer system there has been a 48% increase in the number of breaches in security at the IRS from 2007 to 2008.
What does the IRS use to make sure you file your tax returns and pay your tax return? Fear. And the general public buys into it. 2.2 million taxpayers a year overpay their taxes by an average of over $400 per taxpayer. They fear an audit so much that they fail to claim deductions they are entitled to or they report income that isn't taxable. You being afraid of the IRS costs you and helps them.
Just because the IRS bills you doesn't mean you owe it. Ninety-Eight percent of IRS notices just need clarification not a check, yet taxpayers frequently just write a check to clear an IRS notice rather than questioning the notice themselves or calling their tax professional for help.
News Stories:
NYU recently sent out 489 acceptance letters to various applicants. The problem is that the students they sent the acceptance letter to got the wrong letter, the students were the ones that should have gotten a rejection letter. This really bothers me can you imagine a young student going from the elation of an acceptance letter only to find out later that it was an error? No student should have to go through that.
Homelessness is a bad thing. Oregon made it official by passsing legislation saying that homelessness wasn't good. The only problem with that is with the economy and budget cuts there is little financial aid in the State Coffers for the homeless.
Six years for manslaugther. A 49 year-old woman in Shasta County, California was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years. She was text messaging while driving through a construction zone, hit a line of cars waiting for a flag to change, and one of the drivers in the line of cars was killed. Prior to hitting the line of cars she had paid sevaral bills while driving by hooking up to the internet.
Hot Dream:
This is not a joke, this is an actual dream I had last night. I can understand dreaming about getting it on with Heather Locklear but what I don't understand is why was it in a movie theatre? And way was Alec Baldwin in the front row watching?
My Weird Thoughts:
There I was in the line at the Post Office and they sold me forever stamps. Now I always wanted a relationship that would last forever. But I was sort of hoping it would be with something besides a postage stamp.
AIG paid their executives billions to get into the mess they got into and pretty much destroy the country's economy. I could have saved them a ton of money, I could have screwed their company and the economy just as badly as they did and I would have only asked for a million dollars.
Does the IRS scare you? Do any of the above mentioned news stories bother you? Any hot dreams lately? And what do you think my dream means? What are some of your weird thoughts?
Inquiring minds want to know.
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8 comments:
Hi Bill! I have always wondered about how safe we all are with the IRS...but I don't think any of us are really safe anywhere anymore...it seems its all just a crap shoot. Do they scare me? I think they used to, but I don't think I scare too easily anymore.
A lot of the news stories bother me, particularly the 49 year-old woman getting 6 years for manslaughter...the death of the poor unsuspecting driver is just not justified by her getting her bills paid on time while driving. I am really blown away at the amount of people I see texting while driving. I find the talking on cells has gotten way out of control, especially while driving, but the texting is just something else.
Your dream? Not sure on the Heather Locklear part, maybe you recently saw her somewhere..actually I just watched her today on a show on a channel I never watch, but Alec Baldwin has been all over the TV of late and if you watch much TV at all...well there you have it.
And as far as you and Heather getting it on in a movie theater, well gee, from what I read you are always there so why the heck not, you know, kill two birds with one stone? :)
Have a great week!
Bill, do you think it's safer to NOT file electronically with the IRS? I said okay the last two times because it didn't matter to me either way. And they don't have my bank acc't numbers -- I'd draw the line there, I think. But my Federal refund went toward estimated tax and probably will again, if I ever get a refund again, so they don't need bank numbers.
I'm a little scared of the IRS, but not very scared.
I'm with Dona about the texting driver. Throw the book at her, I say!
The email acceptance letters that were sent out wrongly were a Very Bad Thing, but I read today that they had previously sent snail mail letters correctly, plus there was a website where you could find out if you were accepted. So it's just a layer of confusion and not as bad as if it were the only notification.
I agree that homelessness is a bad thing.
Your dream means that you are hot for Heather Locklear. And who can blame you? Not Alec Baldwin, apparently. {g} Years ago, I worked for a sound company where Heather's mom was the office person. Her mom is gorgeous, too.
I think I'm fresh out of weird thoughts today, and I very seldom remember my dreams. How boring I am!
Hi There Dona
Hope your enjoying your time to yourself!
It is great that they IRS doesn't scare you and that you don't scare easily! Basically the people that work at the IRS are just like you and I, they struggle with the same things we do, and if you treat them like normal human beings it usually works out for the better in an audit.
I wish all states would following California and New York's lead and ban cell phones while drive. Personally I think the woman that got six years got off easily.
I haven't seen Heather on TV for ages. I did recently listen to someone that reminds of Heather on a podcast and that may have sparked the dream. Baldwin I haven't seen or thought about since the Oscars.
As to me being a public spectle in a movie theatre, it just isn't my nature to show my shortcomings in public.
Bill
Hi Pat
I actually think e-file is safer. You have a bigger chain for there to a mistake, the post office that you mail it from, the post office that receives it, the first person that receives the paper return at the IRS, the second person (data specialist) that keys the return into the IRS computer, the double checker and so on. E-File nobody touches it.
Thanks for the clarification of the NYU fiasco, it isn't as bad as everyone thought from the news reports!
I've always liked Heather because she seems real and seems to have a good sense of humor.
Darn, I was hoping for some weird thoughts!
Bill
I would like to say that I deal with the IRS enough not to be scared of them. But I tell you, every time a letter from them shows up in my mailbox (info for a client I'm representing, or EA renewal stuff) my heart stops for just a minute.
I agree with you, though, that nobody should ever just pay what IRS says they want before checking with a professional. Out of every 20 letters I review, maybe one owes what they say. Maybe. Almost always, I can get it down. A couple of weeks ago, I got it down from over $100,000 owing to a refund of $200. I always want to end my response to those, thank you so much for calling this to my attention. Heh.
Am I afraid of the IRS? Not sure. Defenitely leary, having gone through two tax audits in AK in the early eighties (and a tax audit in Juneau means jumping through hoops to get an auditor to come to you, so you don't have to fly to Anchorage). So, I always press "send" for the efiling with a certain amount of trepedition, especially since each of us has our own business and home office. I do think the majority of the folks -- especially those who are scrupulously hones - are afraid of the IRS. I know I'm keeping paperwork that should probably have long since been tossed, since the two years I was audited for were from back in Mpls and all the paperwork got pitched when the basement got flooded, so I didn't have much besides my memory and honest face to go with. Still, I doubt I'd just write a check if the IRS told me I owed them more than I send each year.
Hadn't heard about the NYU fiasco, but was glad to see Pat's note that it wasn't quite as bad as the media presented it.
Someone finally decided homelessness wasn't a good thing? What a concept!
I have no patience with people texting while driving. I've little patience with people using their cell phones while driving. I know there are hands free methods for this, but the question still comes down to concentration, doesn't it. That said, I'll admit that I use my cell phone while driving -- for about 60 seconds, on a two lane highway, to let Himself know I'm within 5 minutes of the house and the dogs need to be inside, so I can open the driveway gate, if I forget to call from the grocery parking lot or Mom's or wherever. Otherwise, nope. Talking is bad enough -- but at least you've got your eyes on the road and traffic. I'd say the woman got off too lucky, given the ramifications of her actions.
No hot dreams. Some weird ones, but they're usually are gone by the time I brush my teeth and I have no recollection. Weird thoughts. Well, everything being relative, I guess that would depend on who you ask (g).
Hi Mary
You will get used to the IRS and eventually they will be more scared of you then you are of them. On of the local auditors here told me what they told her about me was that I was aggressive but honest. I can think of worse reputations.
You just confirmed to all the readers and posters here not topay IRS notices until they investigate them and the one you saved 100,000 he/she should be your friend for life.
Bill
Hi DR
You didn't have Mary or I to help you in the early eighties! So the fear should go away now.
We all agree that the texting woman got off to easy!
Well darn I was hoping you would share some weird thoughts and dreams!
Bill
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