The taxman cometh, and cometh, and cometh

[packman]

How about this - hope your momma and daddy paid all their taxes why back when, because if you think you are going to get a refund - you may not because someone in your immediate family got something they shouldn't have from the government.

Article about new gov. rules that allow the IRS to garnish YOUR refund for something that may have happened 10,20,30, 40 years back.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/social-security-treasury-target-hundreds-of-thousands-of-taxpayers-for-parents-old-debts/2014/04/10/74ac8eae-bf4d-11e3-bcec-b71ee10e9bc3_story.html

[mainer]

1. Wait... WHAT? I'm liable for my parents' and grandparents' debts?

This is unbelievable. All it says is that the 10-year statute of limitations has been lifted, but the article didn't say how far back the government's allowed to go to collect old debts. Theoretically, you could be liable for a debt your great-grandparent owes. Hey, why not go back a few more generations, and they'll collect our ancestors' debts way, way back.

[hfojvt]

3. that seems kinda odd

My dad's parents have 14 grandchildren. My mom's dad has 31 and my mom's mom has 26 (grandpa was married twice). Why should I be any more liable than the other 43?

And if you go back more generations, then the number of descendants keeps growing too. Paternal great-great-great grandparents have 521 great-great-great grandchildren (that I know of). If they owe a million dollars tax, then my share is only $1,919.39 (much less if my parents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews have to pay a share too (some of the next generation are now old enough to have jobs))

[yallerdawg]

2. Learned this from North Korea?

The IRS/Treasury/Social Security are arguing that anyone in the household benefited from the overpayment or fraud -- at any age, at the time the money was used on whatever.

So now this can come down decades later (with the lifting of the 10 year limitation) as the IRS/Treasury/Social Security identify and pursue the debts determining owed money on an individual. And snatching your tax refund is easy and legal.

"The sins of the father... "

I hope the Student Loan people aren't eyeballing this.

[n2doc]

4. Oh you know they are

Coming soon- Perpetual debt, to be handed down to the next generation, no matter how distantly related. Think of it as the "anti-Inhertitance"

[Laelth]

5. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[TBF]

6. Someone will sue and there will

be interesting precedent. And it will not be pretty if it comes up under the current supreme court.

[Brigid]

7. Wow.

Are they going after the 1% and their overseas tax shelters just as zealously? No? I thought not.

[madinmaryland]

8. From what I understand this only applies to

overpayments from social security. Still it is an odd way to go about collecting the money, without even letting the people know what is happening.

[progressoid]

9. Grrrrr...