IRS Blues

I am, frankly, incredulous that the advice I got from the IRS representative I spoke with today is to refile my taxes and then try to get an abatement on any penalties they take out of my taxes when (not if) there is a "late fee."

I turned in my taxes in March to give the IRS extra time to deal with what I knew was going to be a difficult return. And then, when I got my wife's ITIN in early June, the letter said they were forwarding it to the IRS proper (the ITIN's are handled through a different area of the IRS than the main branch that audits and reviews) and to wait 6-8 weeks for my refund. Then I called back promptly at 6 weeks and the representative I spoke with that day said she had no record of my return. None. She showed my wife's ITIN process, but did not have and could not find my return. She recommended I call back in about 2 weeks to give them time to receive and process it.

So, I gave them a month. Four full weeks plus. I called them back today. She still had no record of my tax return being received or reviewed. She recommended I submit my tax forms again, this time with my wife's ITIN on it, and hope for the best. She said that I would probably get penalties but that I could ask for an abatement on them and hope that they take the notes on my SSN at the IRS into account. But to realize they may take interest out of it.

Can you believe that? The government has had $1584 of my money since last year, and they will charge ME interest on it because my taxes are "late." All because they got lost somewhere between the Texas office and the Washington, DC office of the SAME GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY!

Un-fucking-believable.