I could use some advice on the IRS

[anthona]

Does anyone know how one can get a face to face audit of the IRS, these days? Its not like the old days...getting through, even now, before the tax season is upon us, one has to wait 30 to 45 minutes to get a live person on the phone. In a recent call, the employee who starts off giving an id number, ( I forgot to write it down )...after asking me my question in regard to a letter I received from the IRS on how they responded to my 2015 tax return, asked twice to give him a few more minutes to ponder my tax problem and on the second one, while waiting and listening to the background music for about 10 more minutes till he would get back, I heard a click and right away I knew he disconnected me. That is typical these days, whoever they hire, I wonder on what experience, if they don't know the answer, you get the kiss of death, a click sound, and the proverbial sound of a dial tone. I would love to get a face to face meeting, but it seems impossible these days. If you make a mistake on your tax return, they no longer audit you live..they make corrections to their liking, without mentioning how they arrived on whatever figure they give you. Sure they give you a phone number, but it turned out, they have many different numbers, but they all seem to be tied in to that one office. Most of the time they suggest you go to their web site, but there are problems that one cannot ask on those sites, particularly hoping to make live contact.

[ItsJoan NotJoann]

On Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at 3:52:07 PM UTC-6, anthona wrote:
> Does anyone know how one can get a face to face audit of the IRS, these days?

*Snip*
*Snip*
*Snip*

Have you thought about going to the IRS office in your
town and sitting down and having a talk with them?

Just a suggestion. Any question about my taxes I'd
personally rather have a face to face chat than over
the phone.

[catalpa]

"ItsJoan NotJoann" <itsjoan...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:95ada247-72bb-4dc1...@googlegroups.com...

The vast majority of towns don't have an IRS office.

Closest one to me is in Philadelphia 20 miles away.

You need to make an appointment to meet with an IRS agent familiar with your
tax issue.

Going to an IRS office without an appointment is useless.

[ItsJoan NotJoann]

On Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 5:34:59 PM UTC-6, catalpa wrote:
>
> "ItsJoan NotJoann" <itsjoan...@webtv.net> wrote in message
> >

> > Just a suggestion. <-------- Direct quote from my post.

[wilm...@gmail.com]

You could break down and pay a tax consultant for some advice. The good IRS agents go in business for themselves.

[Beaver...@live.com]

On Friday, December 9, 2016 at 10:39:35 PM UTC-8, wilm...@gmail.com wrote:
> You could break down and pay a tax consultant for some advice. The good IRS agents go in business for themselves.

Yikes! I have so many fucken questions about taxes now but not sure if I wanna go that far.

My income has quadrupled in the past few years so I need to figure out how to pay less and how to figure out what's expenses n stuff.

[ItsJoan NotJoann]

On Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 1:40:36 AM UTC-6, Beaver...@live.com wrote:
>
> Yikes! I have so many fucken questions about taxes now but not sure if I wanna go that far.
>
> My income has quadrupled in the past few years so I need to figure out how to pay less and how to figure out what's expenses n stuff.
>
>

Well,if your income has quadrupled then you shouldn't mind paying
for someones time who can give you expert advice on how to pay
less in taxes. Or you could just file as you've always done and
pay Uncle Sam through the nose in taxes and save that money you
would have given to an adviser to help you save a bit of moola.

A good tax adviser is worth their weight in gold. It's a no
brainer.

[Beaver...@live.com]

I still don't know how the hell I did it and it all seems so fleeting so I want to save as much as possible and try to determine exactly what is income and what can be deducted. Like when I walk the mile to the UPS store to send something and back etc. In 2014 and 2015 I never counted that. As far as I am concerned I am still poor, the rest is either working capital or savings.

I might look into a tax consultant. I can't believe I don't already know any.

December is brutal so far so I might be making less than I initially thought.

I love America! I just wish I would have figured out how easy it is to make money a lot earlier, I would be a millionaire right now.

[wilm...@gmail.com]

I got this guy to do my taxes. Ended up pretty close to what I expected, but he did it and I didn't pull my hair out by the roots. Then, for the next few years I just followed what he did and did the same. The laws don't change that much, and neither did I. Repeat after a few years.

Now I use an on-line service. Easy-peasey. They do have advanced service where you can talk to someone. But I find the simpler program works better than I need.

As far as talking to an IRS agent... WTF!!! It's like talking to your pickpocket, "How much are you taking? Should I leave all my money in my purse or should I put some in my bra? What do you guys like, small or big bills?" Get someone on your side, don't discuss strategy with your opponent.

[tra...@optonline.net]

On Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 5:32:24 PM UTC-5, Beaver...@live.com wrote:
> On Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 11:57:28 AM UTC-8, ItsJoan NotJoann wrote:
> > On Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 1:40:36 AM UTC-6, Beaver...@live.com wrote:
> > >
> > > Yikes! I have so many fucken questions about taxes now but not sure if I wanna go that far.
> > >
> > > My income has quadrupled in the past few years so I need to figure out how to pay less and how to figure out what's expenses n stuff.
> > >
> > >
> > Well,if your income has quadrupled then you shouldn't mind paying
> > for someones time who can give you expert advice on how to pay
> > less in taxes. Or you could just file as you've always done and
> > pay Uncle Sam through the nose in taxes and save that money you
> > would have given to an adviser to help you save a bit of moola.
> >
> > A good tax adviser is worth their weight in gold. It's a no
> > brainer.
>
> I still don't know how the hell I did it and it all seems so fleeting so I want to save as much as possible and try to determine exactly what is income and what can be deducted. Like when I walk the mile to the UPS store to send something and back etc.

AFAIK, that kind of thing has never been deductible, for obvious reasons.
And even if you did deduct it, then you'd have to also report it as income
to yourself, negating it.

In 2014 and 2015 I never counted that. As far as I am concerned I am still poor, the rest is either working capital or savings.
>
> I might look into a tax consultant. I can't believe I don't already know any.
>
> December is brutal so far so I might be making less than I initially thought.
>
> I love America! I just wish I would have figured out how easy it is to make money a lot earlier, I would be a millionaire right now.

There are books out there, like JK Lasser, that give some good advice
and guidance, with examples. Also, have you read the IRS publications
that are available? Usually complexity is a function of what you're
doing, ie a business, not so much a function of how much you're making.