A Letter from the IRS

Unless you're expecting a phat refund from the IRS, you never really have a need to communicate with them. NEVER. I was enjoying my nice, quiet life at home and I walked across the street to do my daily checking of the mail. There at the top of the envelope stood those three letter "I..R...S". I was a little perplexed as to why Uncle Sam would be sending me a letter in the middle of the summer. I already received and cashed my income tax returns. I hadn't had any other changes in my life. What could they possibly want from little ole me?



As I perused the letter, it stated that they needed further clarification on my mother's tax return from 2006. My mother passed away in May 2006 from Ovarian Cancer and I (being an only child who had already lost my father) became executrix of her estate. I had her taxes done by the same CPA that completed mine. I also remember it being a nice little birthday check when I received her tax refund, which was much larger than mine ever have been. The last thing I wanted to do was have to give back that well spent money.

It turns out Mr. Irs was wanting additional documentation on my mother's charitable donations. She had given a great deal (in the 10s of thousands) before she passed away and I fulfilled some of her pledged gifts as well. However, my CPA didn't' itemize any of these and Mr. Irs thought I was a fluke and a liar - all in the name of charity. So, I ran home and searched through my mother's documents looking for receipts and communications of her donations. Although I found many different documents, none of them added up to the exact amount listed. I looked some more. Still nothing. What was I gonna do? I didn't want to be featured on "Cops"! I called and spoke with a Mr. Irs rep who advised me to send in what I had.

Scared and nervous, I licked the envelope, placed it in the mailbox........... and waited! Weeks and months went by without any communication. I kinda forgot about it. Then, one day during the first week of December, I was sitting at my computer reading my Gemini horoscope online. It said that I would receive something in the mail that could affect me financially. Could my horoscope be right? No way. As I once again approached my mailbox, there in the midst of everything was another envelope with those three frustrating letters "I.R.S". First, I was impressed with the fact my horoscope knew when Mr. Irs would revisit. Second, I was afraid as all get out to open the letter. I found a cozy place on the sofa as I slowly opened the letter. It only said that they received my information and would let me know their decision by December 23, 2007. Dude, do they not know how close to Christmas that is? What a way to possibly ruin a Christmas holiday. (Not only that, but December 23 was my mother's birthday)

So I existed the next couple of weeks unsure of whether or not I should splurge on my friends or myself with all of the Christmas sales. If I owed money, how much could they possibly want back? Well, my answers were answered sooner than expected. On, Thursday December 13, Mr. Irs let me know his decision. I was cleared and they needed no further information. Alleluia!!!! There is a God and he is on my side. I cheerfully jumped up and clicked my heels together. I went out a couple of days later and purchased my new MacBook computer.

I didn't learn much from this experience except that I need a new CPA. I also now know that your mailbox can be both your friend and your enemy and that Mr. Irs and his buddies are not so bad after all. However, I do prefer that they leave me alone for several more decades and fine some other people to bother!