While stationed in New York, the IRS changed the law and it wasn't clear if we should declare my step daughter's social security from her deceased mom as income. So, we called their hotline and followed their advice.....big mistake.
They sent a letter when I was overseas in the middle of tranfering to DC and wanted to audit me. So, I explained how I was transferring to DC and they lied about the audit.
Then when My family was settled in DC, they sent another audit letter claiming I owed them about $2,000.00. I hired a tax accountant and she went with me to see the IRS agent. After all was said and done, the IRS owed me over $2200.00 even after fines and penalties, all because they gave me the wrong advice on their hotline.
My grandfather who never finished the 8th grade and never earned more that $20,000 in a year, was audited every year for six years until my mom went with him that final year and claimed they were harassing him. They suddenly stopped auditing him every year.
Seems to me the IRS plays a game of gotcha with every honest citizen. They know how much you owe. They know how much you earn and spend. They change the laws, deductions, allowed dependents, interest write offs and everything every year so keeping up to date on what's allowed and what's Not allowed is very difficult. And when you figure it wrong, they gotcha and charge you fines. Why don't they just tell us what we owe and quit playing gotcha.
Why don't they just give us a bill at the end of the year, tell us what we owe and quit with all this wasted time and energy.
Their hot lines frequently give out wrong information, they ignore the filthy rich tax cheats and harass the little guy. They are more like a mafia, hunting down the little guy who can't hire protection while letting the rich guy get away.....or is that more like the FBI?
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