Well, I guess it’s time to break out the foil hat. Maybe the government has it in for me? As you might recall, I was giving birth to a cow for the crazy appraisal of my house for county tax purposes. And it sounds like my tax rate may increase by 140%. So, I have until November 30th to contact them for more information (and perhaps to appeal). As it turns out, the phone lines have been jammed for the county assessor’s office. A friend has been calling every day, several times a day, since she received her letter, and she has been unable to get through. I also have the option of going downtown to put my name on the list for a phone call. That trip is unlikely due to the terrain, my condition, and the fact that I have to work to pay my taxes. After not having any success myself, I decided to try some other numbers in that office, and I reached someone who couldn’t do anything directly about the situation. However, she was aware of the problem and explained that the deadline would be extended. More importantly, she said it was possible to send a letter. I guess I know what I will be doing tomorrow.
I arrived home after Thanksgiving, and my neighbors brought me my mail. I opened a few envelopes only to get all worked up again. This time it was the state personal income tax. Guess what?! They say I owe nearly $7000 in taxes, penalties, and interest <Wow! They charge a nice interest rate for themselves!>. The problem? The taxes are for 2009. Did I live in this state in 2009? Nope! I called in to the state income tax folks. Their explanation? ‘When you filed your taxes this past year (2010), the state received information from the federal government that you lived in this state, and your name was flagged.’ Me: ‘But I didn’t live in this state in 2009. I only received income from this state for about a month. I paid my taxes in a different state. I bet I’m not the only person to move to this state and have paid taxes in another state.’ Her: ‘No, you aren’t. In fact, that was my situation.’ Me: ‘Do they do this to every person that moves to this state?’ Her: ‘No, I’m not sure how they decide.’ In the end, I have to write a letter, send my personal tax filing for 2009 from the other state, and send a copy of the letter they sent me. How did their problem become my problem? Why do I have to fix their mistake?
No comments:
Post a Comment