Yeah, it’s like that. Fear and loathing.
Let’s all give a nod and a moment of silence for the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, by the way.
I borrowed/flagrantly stole the opening of my title, if you’re familiar with his work. God rest his troubled, twisted soul.
So, anyway…the bloody double-damned IRS phone problem.
I have been singing the benefits of my ability to call the IRS for my clients when they get those ugly, scary, sphincter-tightening letters in the #10 window envelopes in the mail.
“What the hell, what now?” Am I right?
The whole point I was making was, hey, I do this all the time, I’m used to these people, I got you.
And then, COVID hit.
The first huge effect, that we’re all still suffering from, is the infamous mail backlog.
What used to take 4 to 6 weeks now takes months, if you involve the USPS in your IRS correspondence.
Hard times for them, hard for us.
Often, the signals get crossed, and they’re sending things out that make demands that were already resolved.
It takes a real level of understanding to keep from losing your mind over it.
Now, especially the second half of this year, the phones have been affected for quite some time now as well.
Honestly, I think it goes back to the March 2021 signing of the American Recovery Plan Act, because that was when they decided to give everybody a break on unemployment benefits taxation up to $10,200 a person.
Add to that the government’s largesse in paying out half of the new and improved child tax credits over 6 months beginning in July.
Plus, a new round of stimulus. $1,400 for every member of the family.
The phone lines have been ridiculous, and I blame it on a hopelessly-overburdened IRS.
They tell people not to file amendments, or call to find out what’s going on, but you know…
People.
As a representative tax pro, I am seeing a disturbing status quo lately.
Quite simply, I can’t get through even on the special line reserved for EAs, CPAs, and attorneys unless I plan for it in advance, and schedule it very creatively.
Calling on an impulse because I’m disturbed about a letter copy that I just opened on behalf of a client is a complete waste of effort.
Want to know how much so? I have heard this phrase so many times it has imprinted itself on memory:
“We’re sorry, but due to high call volume in the topic you selected we are unable to take your call at this time. Please try again later.”
Then…click. I’m holding a paperweight.
Grrrrr.
If you’ve stuck with me this far, and enjoyed the building tension of my frustration, then guess what?
There IS a happy ending.
I figured it out.
There is a way for me to get through. It’s not easy.
And not only no but HELL no, I’m not going to tell you, or my peer group!
I have a secret, it works, and I’m keeping it all to myself.
But I’m thrilled to announce that yes, once again, I CAN make those horrifying mind-numbing calls for you, with a fair degree of reliability.
Maybe not the same day the need hits, but close enough to count.
Step One: you have to be my client. Naturally.
If you like, we should talk about that sometime.
Step Two: I have to have you sign an IRS power-of-attorney form, as soon as we can.
If you have a real “hair-on-fire” problem (my term), I can call and fax a copy of it to the person I’m talking to, even if it hasn’t processed through the system yet.
Yes, that’s slower now, too. But never fear, gentle taxpayer. Help is here.
We are recently moving into an arena of greater involvement in the business lives of our present and future clients.
Rest assured this whiz-bang newfangled service is part of the deal.
Really – we should talk about that.
Our businesses are how we identify ourselves, change the world, and feed our need for survival in the bargain.
Don’t we owe it to ourselves to maximize our potential to the greatest possible degree?
The year is coming to a peaceful close with our Savior’s birthday on the horizon.
What better time to take stock, and plan for an epic new year?
We really should talk about that.
See you soon!