I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

The IRS looks at national averages on deduction and credit categories for income brackets, and they also have a list of transactions or tax items for which a flag is raised. The audit lottery is basically a result of their being too few revenue agents to examine returns, so they tend to go for the ones that look like they'll raise the greatest deficiency relative to reported income.

Of course, none of that applies if the revenue agent comes in to work pissed off and ready to fuck somebody up and they just happen to grab your return out the stack.

One thing that works in everybody's favor is the end of an old program called the Taxpayer Compliance Study. Under that program, phased out in the early 90's, the IRS regularly pulled several hundred returns a year at random, and called the taxpayers in to audit their returns line by line, just to figure out where everybody was fudging it. God help the bastard who got called in on one of those.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

Fringe, its bad enough that you guys fuck up PB every week or so with this tax crap. Would you please not join in so maybe it'll die?

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

How cute. After all these years, you're finally agreeing on something.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

They go a little harder on the tax lawyers and accountants, but even they don't get suspended for non-knowing violations. It's the stuff that you knew about, but deducted anyway, or the income that you never thought they'd be able to trace to you that gets you suspended. Even if you aren;t a tax lawyer, if they have you on fraud, or even on what they think is fraud but don't think they can win in court, they have been known to inform your state bar authority.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

Actually, that pitch has been surprisingly effective. I call it my "elegantly understated sledge hammer" approach.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

Really? Ever just assume your employees' withholding funds got transferred, when they actually didn't?

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

Ixnay on the onay oblempray, willya? I'm trying to drum up some bidness here.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

We agree on tax stuff quite frequently. Here, we are agreeing on tax stuff and agreeing we hate people in general.

I think sunny's post about the neti has given me a series of sinus headaches.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

I was going to make a sock to stop this nonsense, but none of the tax pictures I found were as catchy as the nose-o-rooter things. Can you photoshop something for me?

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

I'm noticing a trend in the originator of both threads.

I'm not hungover anymore, but I've got nothing of interest to contribute. Not even a cautionary tale at my own expense.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

Well for a WITHHOLDING violation, sure. They really don't like those. But that's not so much a personal taxes issue.

Sebby/mmmm -- when you start up your businesses that will be so much better and more lucrative than the law, trust me and wanker on this, the IRS/SSA don't *really* care when you send in the withholding. It can wait until the end of the quarter if you are having cashflow problems. Ditto on amounts withheld from employees' paychecks that is supposed to go to the retirement plan -- the Dept of Labor and IRS really do understand that you needed that money to pay for business entertainment, and that you'll deposit it when you can.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

You can charge whatever rate you want once they meet with the IRS.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

WHAT!!!! I HAD LIKE TWO NETI POSTS. IT'S NOT MY FAULT IT SPAWNED A WHOLE LOTTA SOCKS.

On another note...my first boyfriend's parents were both IRS auditors. I wonder if their phone number is still the same...do you think they'd give me a kickback for reporting you tax evaders? DO you think they'll take me seriously when I say "sebastian dangerfield" cheated on his taxes?

Should five percent appear too small.
 

You are one brave Texan. I will miss you.

In other news, I love Sirius satellite radio. (I would probably love XM, too.) In particular, the "Left of Center" and "Underground Garage" stations will allow me to converse intelligently with Flower about hep music the next time I am in the Twin Cities.

I KNOW, TAKE IT TO THE TAX REFUND BOARD
 

Trust fund stuff is a wole different kettle of fish. If you ever get in employment tax trouble, you be really screwed.