The IRS: Pursuing Pennies

[C-101]

Bob Shallit: IRS visits Sacramento carwash in pursuit of 4 cents - Sacramento Business, Housing Market News | Sacramento Bee

It was every businessperson's nightmare.

Arriving at Harv's Metro Car Wash in midtown Wednesday afternoon were two dark-suited IRS agents demanding payment of delinquent taxes. "They were deadly serious, very aggressive, very condescending," says Harv's owner, Aaron Zeff.

The really odd part of this: The letter that was hand-delivered to Zeff's on-site manager showed the amount of money owed to the feds was ... 4 cents.

Inexplicably, penalties and taxes accruing on the debt – stemming from the 2006 tax year – were listed as $202.31, leaving Harv's with an obligation of $202.35.

Zeff, who also owns local parking lots and is the president of the Midtown Business Association, finds the situation a bit comical.

"It's hilarious," he says, "that two people hopped in a car and came down here for just 4 cents. I think (the IRS) may have a problem with priorities."

Now he's trying to figure out how penalties and interest could climb so high on such a small debt. He says he's never been told he owes any taxes or that he's ever incurred any late-payment penalties in the four years he's owned Harv's.

In fact, he provided us with an Oct. 22, 2009, letter from the IRS that states Harv's "has filed all required returns and addressed any balances due."

IRS spokesman Jesse Weller isn't commenting "due to privacy and disclosure laws."

Zeff says he's as offended as much as anything else by what he considers rude behavior by the IRS guys. While at Harv's, he sniffs, "they didn't even get a car wash."

In other words, the IRS is after every last penny of your taxes. Literally.

I could see this as a new trick though. Pretend as though nothing is wrong for a few years, launch a random audit, and lookie here, a few pennies short and a bunch of penalties.

Nothing you can do about it either. The IRS is always "right".

 

[PixieStix]

That must have been some really great pennies

 

[boedicca]

If they proportionately applied their zeal and force to others with erroneous filings, Rangel would be serving a life sentence.

Just sayin'.

 

[Jos]

I was eating in McDonalds, a man and his son of about 4 years got a burger and a happy meal, the man put the 3 quarters change on the tray and went to a table, he then got up to wash his hands, and when he came back there was one quarter on the tray and his young child choking and tuning blue, he turn the kid upside down and gave him a slap on the back which dislodged one of the quarters, but the kid was still choking, the guy shouted for help, a well dressed preppy lady stood up, walked over, dropped the boys pants and started to squeez the boys balls, harder and harder until he coughed up the quarter, the father was so happy the women had saved his son, he asked are you a doctor or something? you sure knew how to extract that quarter,



she said ¨No I'm from the IRS¨

 

[Gatekeeper]

Well the IRS ain't getting my 2 1938 -S pennies with TWO S's on them, one large and one small......well, unless they cut a sweet deal with me of course.

But it really makes sense ......... to them somehow but certainly NOT COMMON sense, spend thousands pursuing 4¢ just to make a point.