I received my notice last week that I could expect my economic stimulus check by July 11. Woo Hoo! Like many Americans, I planned to pay on some bills instead of being frivolous with the money. Besides, BOGO ended last week. But July 11 came and went. Today I received two letters from the IRS. I opened the first one and was delighted to learn that I had overpaid on my personal income tax form for 2007! Don't you just love that? You reluctantly sign that check for the IRS only to learn you sent in too much. That's the kind of letter I like to get. But the next sentence wasn't as happily received. It explained that since my company owes penalty and interest to the IRS that my "refund" would be used to offset that debt.
The IRS and I have been bickering for over two years about unreasonable penalty and interest that I believe should be reduced. Once in awhile I will reach a very pleasant representative who tells me it is time to get an IRS advocate. They are employed by the IRS but are there to listen to your pleas and try to work out a tolerable solution. So I called and got myself an advocate, only to be told I needed to go through an appeals process first. Whatever that is. So the matter of penalty and interest is still not settled and my refund has been applied accordingly.
Now, the second letter from the IRS. It informed me that they had graciously (my word) applied my long-awaited stimulus check to my company's penalty and interest debt. The government giveth, and the government taketh away. I honestly believed the stimulus check, the one we don't have to claim as income on our 2008 taxes, was in a class by itself. I was unaware that the IRS could keep it and apply it elsewhere. Yes, I knew they could do that with my refund, but a stimulus check?
Of course, now I'm at this point where I don't even want to win the lottery. I'd just get my hopes up, make plans for the money, and face some catastrophic event that would swallow it whole.
7 comments:
They can take your stimulus check?? I guess I shouldn't be shocked afterall we're talking about the government.
That makes me mad!
So you overpaid them, and they are not going to apply that? Are you getting it back?
I went back and read again. They took both!
That's right, Sissy, they took both of them. :(
Remember Peggy about Tony and his disability check? I deposited it in the bank, but because he died 2 DAYS before the issuing date, they took it RIGHT OUT OF MY SAVINGS ACCOUNT....no mention of it, they just took it back! I remember as I needed that to make a house payment....they always get their money.
Cheryl, I remember from the 90's when I worked as a bank teller women would come in to cash their husband's social security checks. But if their husband died after a certain date in that month and the check had already been mailed out they would take it right out of their account. I think that's awful! As if having to endure their loss and having to bury their loved one is not enough!
Sooooo, does this mean you'll come to TN and "camp out" with me?
Love ya' - Sharon
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