Current Events > Man I hate dealing with government services

(+) Yeah! (+)

I just love how nearly 5 years after my mother died, the IRS sent me a letter today stating back taxes are owed on her estate, even though I made sure everything was cleared out in that tax year. So now, I'm having to trace down my own old pay stubs and bank statements from that time since I was the only heir to prove to the IRS that I didn't get "too much of the government's money". But there's one problem: I have no way to get those fucking pay stubs because the company I worked for at the time is now defunct. I can give them a W2 and they nope'd that up quickly. And, as a result, I'm looking at coughing up another $3500 bones to finish cleaning up the mess of an estate my mother left behind.

I thought the IRS couldn't take action after 3 years? Ask a tax lawyer

Agonized_rufous posted...

I thought the IRS couldn't take action after 3 years? Ask a tax lawyer

LOL

Dang thats rough.

Ive found that honest and patient communication with the IRS goes a long way.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Right? I dont get why they cant just send you how much you owe. Besides companies like H&R Block that probably lobby against that cause taxes need to be complicated for some strange reason

Sounds like a shakedown. The IRS requires employers to keep those records only for four years so being past that there's no reasonable expectation for you to have access to those. I'd be talking to an attorney.

Agonized_rufous posted...

I thought the IRS couldn't take action after 3 years? Ask a tax lawyer

According to a quick Google search, it's up to 10 years for them to collect, although that could be wrong as I'm a few drinks deep after being up to my eyeballs dealing with this. While finding an attorney wouldn't be a bad idea, I'd probably end up paying more than the $3500 the IRS want in legal fees if I can somehow find all my pay stubs and try to find all the tax stuff involving the estate as I pretty much got rid of all of it last year.

ETA: Of course, I have my W2 from that year, but they don't see it a "proof enough" of income on a month to month period.
MetroidGamer666 posted...

Dang thats rough.

Ive found that honest and patient communication with the IRS goes a long way.

Thank you. It's hard to be honest and patient with the IRS, when the people I've tried to contact are anything but "honest and patient" when I try to explain the situation.
Pitlord_Special posted...

Sounds like a shakedown. The IRS requires employers to keep those records only for four years so being past that there's no reasonable expectation for you to have access to those. I'd be talking to an attorney.

The company I worked for at the time is now defunct, and I don't have any contacts from that company to even get a name or number for someone in HR who might have that information.
ToadallyAwesome posted...

Right? I dont get why they cant just send you how much you owe. Besides companies like H&R Block that probably lobby against that cause taxes need to be complicated for some strange reason

I know I'm in the minority when it comes to this kind of stuff, especially giving how much CE hates me anyway, but this is why I'd be in favor of a flat tax: It keeps everything simple when it comes to tax season. But, of course, that would get shot down because like you said, taxes have to be complicated.