Reply #9: poor people are easy to rob

[amazona]

During the administration of the first George Bush, EVERYONE I knew who had someone die, got a letter from the IRS saying that their deceased love one had made an error on their taxes and the estate would have to cough up an additional $1,000 to the IRS. For some of these people, that was the entire estate! Now, when you have little money, you cannot hire an attorney to contest these bogus claims. I think only one person I knew wrote back and said that the IRS was wrong. That man then got back a letter saying something to the effect of, "Oops, you're right!" And he didn't have to pay the thousand dollars. But everyone else was afraid and just paid it.

I am low income and have been audited several times. I am very literate and good at math. I am patient at documenting my proof in writing. After 6 months or a year of exchanging information with the IRS, I then receive an "oops, letter." In one case where I did make an honest mistake, I asked the IRS to abate the fine, and they did after I made a few phone calls to find the right person to talk to.

Most poor people do not have the confidence or the literacy skills -- in some places, they don't have the computers to type on -- to contest bogus IRS claims. So they are a good target because they get scared and pay even if they're not sure that they should.

If you are low income, take this test. The next time you get a letter from the IRS stating you made a mistake and owe thus-and-thus amount, instead of paying it, REVIEW THEIR CLAIM. The chances are they are the one who made the mistake and if you speak up, with proof, you will not have to pay.

Don't assume the IRS computer or correspondence auditor is always right. It is to their benefit to make mistakes when dealing with low income folks who can't hire a professional to review their claim.

Correspondence audits are cheap -- if you could shake loose several hundred dollars or even a thousand dollars from someone with little education with a 37 cent stamp, you'd be tempted yourself.

Of course, this is stealing -- to take money from people who don't owe it just because you can. But whoever said the IRS was honest? They take their lead from the administration. The IRS Bill of Rights we had under Clinton didn't exist under Bush and is going to be swept under the rug now...your child's lunch money must go to Halliburton.