The IRS is far from perfect. Anyone who didn’t realize that in years past has certainly learned otherwise this year, as IRS scandal after IRS scandal has dominated the news headlines.
The IRS is far from perfect. Anyone who didn’t realize that in years past has certainly learned otherwise this year, as IRS scandal after IRS scandal has dominated the news headlines.
The problem is that when the IRS makes a mistake, the taxpayer pays the price. This is true when they waste taxpayer dollars with extravagant conferences and perks, as was alleged last month, but it’s even more personally damaging when the mistake occurs with an individual’s tax return.
A recent story reported by King5.com in Washington drives home this point clearly:
Imagine the IRS asking you to pay a $30,000 debt you don’t owe. That’s exactly what happened to a Lakewood woman. And the bill belonged to her former church.
Jacqueline Rice was a treasurer for the Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Tacoma for six months in 2010. Now three years later she’s in a bit of a holy mess. Rice has been getting threatening letters from the IRS telling her she’s responsible for the church’s huge tax bill.
“I’m hot. I was like, this isn’t my bill,” said Rice. “It’s like 30-some thousand dollars they want me to pay.”
Rice doesn’t have a prayer of paying the bill. So, she summoned the closest thing to God when it comes to money – the IRS.
“They told me to get a letter from the church stating how long I was on the committee and what my duties were. I did that, I sent it back. Thirty days later I got a letter with intent to seize my property or take my business,” said Rice.
Not only was this woman hit with a bill that she should not have been responsible for, but the IRS actually went as far as to threaten her property and her business. These measures are extremely stressful for any taxpayer—and particularly so when the IRS is mistaken. The lesson, as always, is that you can’t trust the IRS to get it right. The agency makes mistakes, and they can be costly. If you’re engaged in an IRS dispute, it’s vital that you get a lawyer on your side who knows the law and can keep the IRS honest.
Call 844-841-9857 today to learn more!
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