The link goes to an AP story about how it will be hard for the IRS to get to the phone because: "Congress cut the IRS by $346 million for the budget year that ends Sept. 30. [IRS Commissioner John Koskinen] says the agency's $10.9 billion budget is its lowest since 2008. When adjusted for inflation, the budget hasn't been this low since 1998, he said."
So... the usual bellyaching about not getting enough money. The IRS has a lot of nerve to whine about its $10.9 billion while grabbing our last few measly thousands, which we'd like to keep to use to pad our own little budgets.
Koskinen said the IRS has increased efforts to educate tax preparers and the public about the tax implications of the health law, devoting a section of the agency's website to answering questions. Koskinen's advice to taxpayers with questions: Don't call the IRS unless you absolutely have to.To be fair, the telephone really is an outdated mode of communication. Who, struggling with taxes these days, thinks it will help to call the IRS on the phone?
For the first time, tax filers will have to report information about their health insurance during the previous year. For most people who get health coverage through work or through government programs like Medicaid, it will mean simply checking a box. Others who got insurance through state and federal marketplaces will have to file a new form, while people who received subsidies will have to provide more detailed information. People who didn't have health insurance last year face fines unless they qualify for a waiver, which requires more paperwork. The subsidies were based on projected incomes, so families will need to report if actual incomes were higher or lower. If higher, they might have to pay back some of the subsidy, either through a smaller tax refund or a payment. If their incomes were lower, they might qualify for a larger tax refund. Taxpayers who get subsidies are supposed to notify the health exchanges during the year if their incomes change or if they have some other life event that changes their eligibility, said Kathy Pickering, executive director of the Tax Institute at H&R Block.So... maybe Drudge got it right: CHAOS.
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82 comments:
Who, struggling with taxes these days, thinks it will help to call the IRS on the phone?
Who, struggling with taxes these days, thinks the IRS would be able to answer the simplest of questions about taxes correctly? Sure, they're the ones who should know - but they don't, at least not with enough certainty to keep you out of jail or the debtor's house should they decide to put you there.
Well, to be fair, they did have to spend a lot of money auditing people who got caught donating to 501(c)(3)s. That shit doesn't happen for free, you know!
Calling it the "Affordable Care Act" was a clear misnomer. It should have been called the "Accounts Full Employment and Working Poor Rip-Off Act."
The IRS has been scaling service back for years. They have no one else to blame than themselves for the cuts to their budget though.
Wait until you see IRS Form 8962.
Who, struggling with taxes these days, thinks it will help to call the IRS on the phone?
Why call the IRS, it has been demonstrated that about 20% of the questions answered on their help line are answered wrong. And they refuse to allow that as an excuse in the audit.
You might as well go to H&R Block. They'll back you up at the audit and you can sue them for mistakes...
"it has been demonstrated that about 20% of the questions answered on their help line are answered wrong. And they refuse to allow that as an excuse in the audit."
That's by design, I'm sure.
If they re-assigned those workers who are auditing tea party types, they'll have an extra ten billion for other projects.
Also, the 2014 report states that the IRS can't prioritize things, that taxpayers can't talk to the right person, and that the IRS has not followed the law/Congressional requests. Maybe if the IRS were better run, they'd do better? They acknowledge that there need to be more people at the IRS.
I recommend reading, or at least skimming, this before talking about what the IRS should be doing.
"Calling it the "Affordable Care Act" was a clear misnomer. It should have been called the "Accounts Full Employment and Working Poor Rip-Off Act.""
Here's another one. The Alternative Minimum Tax would more accurately be called the Mandatory Maximum Tax.
Now that the Republicans own both houses of Congress hopefully they will follow through on their promise to eliminate the income tax and the IRS can be dissolved.
No more excuses - ball is completely in their court.
Did you catch that last quoted paragraph. Obamacare means the poorest, least capable tax filers will have to do a whole lot of extra paperwork. While the wealthy and those with employer health insurance only have a box to check.
Nice regressive tax there. A tax on time and peace of mind.
"Maybe if the IRS were better run, they'd do better?"
Frankly, a well run and efficient IRS is one of my recurring nightmares. About the only thing I wish less effective are Secret Police and Congress.
A well run IRS would be a net gain for the country. It would cause fewer errors, increase voluntary compliance and improve the relationship between tax payer and government.
"Wait until you see IRS Form 8962."
Just went and looked at it. Yuck. And, even "better", it doesn't seem to be done yet. I keep running into drafts.
Did you catch that last quoted paragraph. Obamacare means the poorest, least capable tax filers will have to do a whole lot of extra paperwork.
They likely voted for Obama. Now they'll get what they voted for GOOD AND HARD.
Madisonfella wrote:
"No more excuses - ball is completely in their court."
Except that they never promised to eliminate the income tax, and if they tried, the obstructionist dems in congress and the white house would stop them.
So basically everything you said in comment was a lie.
Par for the Mf course then.
First the 7 4 or so million were thrown out of their happy happy insurance plan, so that there was captive buyers for Obamacare.. these same people didn't get what they wanted at all with the new Obamacare..then came the website disaster and other things for these same people.. now these same people who were happy, happy with their plans before Obamacare, have to dance with IRS filling out monthly details and such to IRS. Haven't they been punished enough? These are the people who in large measure have made it happen for the uninsured and the Obamacare. There is no way a Democrat will win 2016. Obama made sure of that.
"rehajm said...
Wait until you see IRS Form 8962."
Yep, this will effect low income voters...blacks, young people....you know, that came out in droves to elect this idiot.
I only wish I could see their little faces as Form 8962 is stuck up their asses.
The IRS has had a retirement problem. All of the educated ones who carried the load covering for the affirmative action incompetents are gone now. After a year or two's wait, there are no old timers to send the file to who understand the laws and regulations. The Government Job Holders there now are a big charade.
4. Did the policy cover at least one individual in your tax family but whom another person enrolled in the policy AND cover at least one individual not in your tax
family?
C'est what?
What is especially galling is that they told us over and over that it was NOT a tax. the law passes because it was called a penalty, NOT a tax. then when challenged, it is called a tax. then it is found constitutional for being a tax. this is exactly why justice kennedy said there must be political accountability when legislation is passed, otherwise it is subterfuge and defeats that democratic process.
Take the standard deduction and just pay the tax, has been my plan for decades.
It's not worth the hassle.
I clicked on "the most popular forms" "1040 instructions" on Jan. 7 and got the instructiona for 2013.
Good job, people!
I think the articles about the IRS last year, said that they gave wrong answers approximately 1/3 of the time.
Given Mr. Koskinen's performance before the House committee, I would think he is going to have a hard time getting more money out of Congress. A shit-eating grin and his middle finger does not seem to be the way to go about it.
On the other hand, the VA was almost as bad, and they got $17 billion and no one got fired. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." So, we will see.
Then, as far as I know, they still do not have any way to collect these fines other than by cutting your refund, and since I do not have any refund coming, I think I will just ignore them, at least until the Supremes speak and Congress does something that changes my mind.
The notion that the IRS is involved at all in the health care process of citizens is totally bizarre. What the hell were dems thinking when they passed this clusterfuck?
"What the hell were dems thinking when they passed this clusterfuck?"
-- At the time they passed it, it wasn't supposed to be a tax. Or something. I really forget the chronology of argument.
Hagar wrote:
"the VA was almost as bad, and they got $17 billion and no one got fired"
They are civil servants. They can't be fired. So to get them to do DO THE FUCKING JOB THEY WERE HIRED TO DO the government has to pay them bonuses for meeting certain performance targets.
So they game the targets. The VA officials who faked their records were doing it for a payout of cold, hard cash.
I used to volunteer to help prepare federal and state income tax returns for low-income people as I had an accounting background and had worked 30+ years in corporate taxes. When I saw that the Obamacare mandate and the tax subsidy reconciliation would be accounted for in the federal tax return process, I opted out as I didn't want to be part of this government-run clown car.
As the year runs on, there ought to be some interesting reporting on the reactions from "Watter's World" as its denizens find out his crap applies to them too.
"... this crap..."
the IRS has probably wasted twice that amount of money each year in illegally supporting Democrat politicians get elected and stay elected and coordinating with other illegal and unconstitutional administration actions.
I had a need to call them in the fall, the wait was interminable, but at least they had some pleasant hold music that wasn't complete torture.
I had a need to call them in the fall, the wait was interminable, but at least they had some pleasant hold music that wasn't complete torture.
Madisonfella has a point, sort of. Republicans promised tax simplification, and form 8962 makes it clear that Obamacare must be repealed in order to simplify taxes.
Blogger amr said...
"it has been demonstrated that about 20% of the questions answered on their help line are answered wrong. And they refuse to allow that as an excuse in the audit."
If the Republican's weren't nearly as evil as the Democrats they would be pushing legislation to allow taxpayers to rely on those representations. Indeed not only for the IRS but for all federal departments and agencies.
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen
This is that smug bastard that can't find his emails.
I don't understand. How does he know his budget has been cut? We don't have a budget. We haven't had one for six years.
Everyone come down to the Joke Honks Inn.
From what I have seen of Koskinen I would cut the budget to zero. Supercilious bastard.
@ Original Mike: That's written in Japanese, maybe Thai, maybe Tibetan. Hard to tell, but it's not English!
In the second half of the year, there is going to be a lot of screaming from people who have not received their expected refunds - with or without the IRS "fines" for not having the proper Obamacare.
khesan0802,
See post about Indian English!
"I don't understand. How does he know his budget has been cut?"
-- There is still a CR in effect which allows appropriations of funds.
Why the IRS in Nationalized Health Care? The IRS has those Gestapo powers that Obama and all his Czars so covet...almost as good as the Red Chinese Party has.
Trad Guy said, "The IRS has had a retirement problem..."
same is true of SSA.
Just FYI, I had to call the IRS for help with a tax problem last year, and everyone I spoke with was very friendly and helpful. I even told them they were giving the government a bad name!
How do they expect us foreign-born individuals who don't speak well English good to make heads or tails out of these forms?
I think I have heard Mr. Obama speak of "path to citizenship" for recent arrivals if they pay their taxes?
If photo ID is a valid reason to sue the government for making it too difficult to vote, how about these forms for paying our taxes?
Who, struggling with taxes these days, thinks it will help to call the IRS on the phone?
Old people.
Oh, and anyone who needs to set up a payment plan, say.
Lots of people, in other words.
Above and beyond the ObamaCare issue with the IRS, the agency is still stone walling Congressional investigations and private parties in their attacks on Tea Party groups. What are the statistical odds of 7 or 8 hard drives of the central players crashing within a couple of weeks? The stink isn't going away, and President Obama looks like an enabler when he tells the American Public that there was no corruption involved. And, maybe there wasn't - if his goal had been to weaponize the IRS for the Dem party.
The current commissioner isn't helping his agency one bit, by going before Congressional Committees, denying everything, with that juvenile smirk of his. He wonders why his budget got cut? Maybe he should look in the mirror, or watch a video of his Congressional testimony. He comes across as a slick political operative who knows that there isn't anything that the Republicans can do - except that they can, and have.
And, it wasn't just the special handling (and intentional delays) for tax exempt status of Tea Party groups. Apparently, hundreds of IRS files appear to have (illegally) gotten in the hands of White House and Dem operatives, and there are a lot of reasons to believe that the IRS has been auditing people and organizations based on politics, and has not prosecuted some (e.g. Al Sharpton) on the left known to be tax evaders. As I said above, the agency reeks of political corruption, and should be happy with the money they got this year, given that level of corruption.
If the IRS cannot do its job with the funds allocated to it, maybe it could make-up what it needs with a bake sale.
What Bruce said. And congress should cut the IRS budget to ZERO until they remember who they work for.
if they tried, the obstructionist dems in congress and the white house would stop them.
Spoken like a true establishment supporter.
No more excuses. The latest elections show that the American people are demanding serious changes and the GOP damn well better deliver.
So nothing has happened between the years of 1998 and 2015 that would have significantly increased the efficiency of the IRS and tax filing/review process?
Nothing during that time would have likely decreased the COST of conducting reviews?
God, if only reporters asked challenging questions like "So you can't operate the IRS for the same budget today as you were given in 1998 when everything was paper filed? All the advancements in electronic filing, review, and adjudication have actually INCREASED the costs to run the IRS?"
Imagine a simplified tax code (simplified does not equate to a flat tax). Complications come from all the itemizations and various rules and diffentiations of revenue. Corporate taxes are even messier.
Eliminate corporate taxes. All income is ordinary. The only tax deduction is charitable contributions.
Scramble the individual rates to generate the same revenue. Cut the IRS budget by 50%-90%.
madisonfella: "No more excuses."
LOL
Right.
If obama the republican vetoes the legislation passed by the republicans that is the republicans fault.
So, let's summarize the madisonfella position: If republicans in the house don't vote for the legislation passed by a dem senate, the republicans are obstructionist.
If obama vetoes legislation passed by a republican house and republican senate the republicans have failed and have no excuse.
If dems in the minority in both the house and senate do not join with republicans in overriding obama vetoes the republicans have failed and have no excuse.
Why, it's almost as if madisonfella is constructing a scenario where the republicans are at fault regardless of what actually happens.
Well, talk about "unexpected".
Why, it's almost as if madisonfella is constructing a scenario where the republicans are at fault regardless of what actually happens.
He's a little too obvious about it.
let's summarize the madisonfella position: If republicans in the house don't vote for the legislation passed by a dem senate, the republicans are obstructionist.
I don't recall ever saying such a thing. Are you able to provide a link where I did or are you just throwing out more bullshit lies and hoping something will finally stick?
Also, can't help but notice that the ONLY comment you made in this thread (at least, under the "Drago" name) is focused entirely on me and nothing at all to do with the topic at hand. Yet another example of you not following the same rules you try to force others to follow.
madisonfella: "Also, can't help but notice that the ONLY comment you made in this thread (at least, under the "Drago" name) is focused entirely on me and nothing at all to do with the topic at hand."
To cut to the chase, why don't you simply provide a list of the sockpuppets that you have continuously suggested include me?
Also, nice use of the "bold" font madisonfella.
I think it truly captures the sense of desperate urgency you are attempting to convey.
It also conveys a probable missed medication as well.
madisonfella: "Also, can't help but notice that the ONLY comment you made in this thread (at least, under the "Drago" name) is focused entirely on me and nothing at all to do with the topic at hand."
The "topic at hand" is, of course, the "chaos" at the IRS in it's inability/unwillingness to provide adequate guidance to taxpayers who have questions regarding the application of the relevant obamacare "rules".
Your comment went right to the supposed failure of the Republicans if they failed to get rid of the IRS.
Yes yes, we all know that you think you were on topic, but you weren't.
So I would suggest to you: Poster heal thyself.
I think the IRS has real problems (e.g. persecuting those not in lockstep with the big O) ...but, in the past, I have received good advice over the phone from them, albeit after long waits.
TreeJoe electronic records were never designed to save money, only fool the rubes with bipartisan recommendations from the Top Men.
The Top Men were simply lining their pockets and pissing on any complaints of cost-overruns.
Those electronic medical records that were everyone's answer a few years back are shit. They are expensive killers. The only accountability is done by the grifters for the grifters when deducting their underpants for thirty cents.
Three posts by Curious Drago
All three only focused on me and nothing to do with the topic.
And less than a day after he scolded me (and only me) for talking about abortion-in-general in a blog post about selective-abortion because it was "off topic"
Given his deep-rooted obsessions and delusions, it is pretty obvious he is projecting with his "off the meds?" comment.
jimf: "I think the IRS has real problems (e.g. persecuting those not in lockstep with the big O) ...but, in the past, I have received good advice over the phone from them, albeit after long waits."
As pointed out upthread, there have been studies regarding the accuracy of IRS provided tax return information which shows the IRS providing erroneous information tax payers at surprisingly high rates and the kicker being you are not allowed to use the fact you received the advice from the IRS as an excuse for the error.
Correction: Curious Drago still had MORE to say about me personally so he is up to four posts in this thread now. And all four he is focused on me rather than the topic.
And despite the desperate way he tries to spin it, eliminating the IRS is always "on topic" when the IRS is being discussed. No surprise that an establishment Republican like him is trying to shout down that discussion.
madisonfella: "And despite the desperate way he tries to spin it, eliminating the IRS is always "on topic" when the IRS is being discussed."
Oh, and that would be because........?
You say so?
What other blog "rules" for Althouses blog have you devised madisonfella?
Would you be willing to list them all for us for our edification?
It would be most helpful to understand fully the most recent configuration of the "madisonfella Rules for Ann's Blog" prior to our posting on any particular topic.
Thanks in advance for your patience and consideration.
More on topic than you are, dude.
Every post in this thread so far by you has been nothing but you whining about how I (and only I) am "off topic" while making up lies about things you claim I said. You're so obsessed with me that I bet you even call out my name in threads I haven't read nor posted in.
Meanwhile, the best way to take care of the bad customer service from the IRS is to get rid of the IRS. A tax on income is a bad policy that the Republicans need to eliminate.
Unfortunately, Drago is saying the midterm elections meant nothing at all and instead we can look forward to more of the same old same old while the apologizers for the Old Guard wring their hands and say they really want to make some changes but the mean ol' Dems won't let them.
I'm sorry madisonfella. Could you please repeat what you wrote?
All I heard was "cheeseburger".
What other blog "rules" for Althouses blog have you devised madisonfella?
Ha! You're the self-appointed "topic enforcer", not I. Quit trying to project all your bad behavior upon others.
And do you have anything at all to say about the topic at hand or are you just going to continue to obsess on me?
I mean, cheeseburger must be on topic because if we get rid of the IRS we won't have to spend so much time working with our accountants which would free us up early for lunch.
And there is nothing wrong with a cheeseburger for lunch once in awhile.
I hope we can find common ground in the cheeseburger for lunch area.
madisonfella: "Ha! You're the self-appointed "topic enforcer", not I."
I cannot be a topic enforcer as I have not been issued an armband. You simply cannot act as an enforcer of anything without the proper armband.
You are not required to wear the armband when eating a cheeseburger though.
All I heard was "cheeseburger".
Thanks for admitting that. It totally explains your responses.
Is that the only word the voices in your head say or do they sometimes have conversations with you as well?
madisonfella: "Is that the only word the voices in your head say or do they sometimes have conversations with you as well?"
You seem oddly obsessed with me.
Why might that be?
If you want a cheeseburger, you certainly don't need my permission.
madisonfella: "Thanks for admitting that."
Please, please. No need to thank me.
You'll only embarrass the both of us.
What is really funny (sad?) is that Drago obviously takes great pride in the way he shits all over these threads.
Well, I for one find madisonfella to be an absolute delight.
TreeJoe wrote: "God, if only reporters asked challenging questions like 'So you can't operate the IRS for the same budget today as you were given in 1998 when everything was paper filed? All the advancements in electronic filing, review, and adjudication have actually INCREASED the costs to run the IRS?'"
Actually, electronic filing merely means you can screw up your forms faster and have them clog the works quicker before a human can intervene to fix things. Many, many phone calls are because people cannot e-file correctly. Others are caused by fraudsters like "Mo Money Tax Returns". Tax simplification rather than further digitization is what will make life easier.
madisonfella wrote: "Meanwhile, the best way to take care of the bad customer service from the IRS is to get rid of the IRS."
Well, telephone operations could disappear which would put us at pre-1998 where you would have to write a letter and hope you got a reply. E-mail's insecurity will ensure it is never used for taxpayer contact. Security rules are not fun.
Hagar wrote: "In the second half of the year, there is going to be a lot of screaming from people who have not received their expected refunds - with or without the IRS "fines" for not having the proper Obamacare. "
Filing season opens on January 20th. It takes about 4 weeks for processing to get a refund on an e-filed return. The week after Valentine's Day will be when people won't be getting their refunds and will be confused as they'll receive "Math Error" notices instead due to the Individual Shared Responsibility Payment offset. Things will really get exciting the week of May 17th when the "Balance Due" notices start getting sent out to all those folks who e-filed.
Matthew Sablan wrote in pertinent part: "Also, the 2014 report states that the IRS can't prioritize things, that taxpayers can't talk to the right person, and that the IRS has not followed the law/Congressional requests. Maybe if the IRS were better run, they'd do better? They acknowledge that there need to be more people at the IRS."
Between National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olsen's annual report plus findings by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Government Accountability Office there is an indication that something went horribly wrong with the "2014 Service Approach". There is also some very nasty in-fighting below the surface about it still going down. NTA Olsen might have highlighted that seemingly no rationale or methodology was used for the cuts in service to taxpayers imposed in calendar year 2014...but 2 other oversight entities have sounded off on it too.
Blindly spending money without any planning relative to serving the taxpayer is a bit of a problem that is being highlighted. Something should erupt during filing season over what happened that still has not been reversed. The cuts were made in a way to punish the taxpayer to try to make the agency look like the underdog before a mean/vindictive Congress...and yet the turnaround artist in charge didn't quite see the lack of public support for that brainstorm.
I wish I didn't have to stay anonymous but hopefully if I take your call this filing season I serve you well.
The second half of the year will be when they have finally got it through their heads that the IRS is serious about this and is not going to give them their money, and they start calling and writing their congress-critters.
Why do you think you have to stay anonymous? Is it because you believe your superiors are corrupt and vindictive and retaliate against you for pointing out these very basic things?
madisonfella said...
What is really funny (sad?) is that Drago obviously takes great pride in the way he shits all over these threads.
Sweet,sweet irony. No sugar in my coffee today!
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