* * * * *
“We regret to inform you … ”
It's always nerveracking when one receives a letter from the IRS (Internal
Revenue Service) [1], especially since this years tax-bill was a bit on the
large side. As I was opening it, I kept expecting to see something like:
> Dear Mr. Conner:
>
> Congratulations!
>
> You have been randomly selected to recieve a full audit of your taxes for
> the past five (5) years, starting with the 1997 tax year (and remember, we
> never make mistakes). Please call the number below to schedule time for
> your audit at our convenience.
>
> And thank you for using the IRS. Have a nice day.
>
So I was rather surprising to read:
> Dear Mr. Conner:
>
> Re regret to inform you that you have overpaid your taxes for the 2004 tax
> year and are therefore entitled to receive money back. We calculated that
> your income as [some amount lower than I calculated] and therefore your tax
> liability should have been [about 80% of what I actually calculated]. If
> this is okay, do nothing and you should receive a check from us for the
> difference. If however, you think we are in error, please feel free to
> contact us so we can flag you for a full audit.
>
> And thank you for using the IRS. Have a nice day.
>
I certainly wasn't expecting that!
The second letter from them was the actual refund check.
Sweet!
[1]
http://www.irs.gov/
Email author at
[email protected]
