1. They wrote a tax form asking taxpayers for their “federal deductions” when they meant itemized federal deductions. And they haven’t changed it to the less ambiguous itemized federal deductions as of 2012 when I write.
2. They can’t write a computer programme that immediately catches that taxpayers put their standardized deductions on the “federal deductions” line (as they should given the wording of that line; that is literally what it asks for). This means that they don’t immediately send the form back to taxpayers for correction. But that would mean the Department would lose penalties and interest wouldn’t it? Perhaps this isn’t incompetence just skanky greed.
3. When they discovered that I put me and my wife’s federal deductions, federal standard deductions, for obvious reasons—that is what the line asked for—for five years, they didn’t add up all the charges and put them on one invoice sheet. Instead they sent me five in five different envelopes with five different metred stamps on them. Why save money for the taxpayers when you can milk them for more monies?
4. They do something that no reputable organization, agency, or business would do: they do not add charges, note the etiology of said charges, and reduce charges relative to payments made. Instead they send separate bills with no indication of payments.
5. They apparently have the same penalties and interest charges for those who intentionally lie and cheat on their tax forms as for those who make unintentional mistakes, unintentional mistakes sometimes based on poorly worded tax forms as with me. The state as a harsh Yahweh god? Anyway, you gotta love one size fits all government and morality. Not.
6. They sent a decree indicating that I owe over $800 bucks for payments I have already made, a decree that threatens me with a trip to the wood shed unless said charges are paid.
7. I paid $3600 plus in June and July for “mistakes” I made in 2008, 2009, 2010. I made the same “mistake” in 2011 and despite the fact that my mistakes were known by NYSTF before my refund cheque for 2011 was sent to me, they sent me a refund cheque based on what should have been clearly seen at that time as a flawed tax refund request (at least from their point of view with its flawed reading of the “federal deductions" line) since I put my standard federal deductions—again as I should have given the wording of that line—on the “federal deductions” line. I did not cash this cheque knowing that it was sent to me as a result of NY State Tax and Finance Department incompetence and returned it to them in July meaning that I owe nothing for 2011 and they cannot charge me interest since the monies never left their account. Of course, one wonders if such common sense rationality has any cache with them at all.
8. My sense is that when they calculated what I owed them for claiming me and my wife's standard federal deductions on the "federal deductions" line that they did not subtract the taxes they actually did owe me for the years 2008, 2009, 2010. I, quite reasonably, deducted these amounts from my bills when I sent payment to the Tax Department. Speaking of tax refunds, NYSTF has still not sent the refund they owe me for 2011 nor did they inform me, as I requested, that they did apply this refund to my over refund bill. I suspect that they are not going to apply penalties and interest for their failure to send my refund to me. Double standards are a common aspect of how government deals with citizens. Can you say tyranny?
9. They can't, unlike the federal government, give citizens the option of an EZ form. I have been doing taxes since the early 1970s and this is the first time I have had a problem. Income tax forms, particularly those of New York State, have, I think, been getting ever more complex since the early 2000s. So complex that a common I find doing taxes even less exciting than watching paint dry bloke like me has problems doing them on my own anymore. Is the state in league with private tax robber barons? Speaking of tax form problems, since the federal government is too cheap to send us forms to us through the post anymore I have been forced to do them by going online to the IRS website. Unfortunately, for oldies like myself reading the instructions online is extremely difficult. The feds need to put up old age friendly online forms and instructions for people like me to use. Don't worry, dear unreaders, I am not holding my breath waiting for NY state to provide us with an EZ tax form or for the US government to do user friendly tax form and tax instructions web sites. I am sure I would die if I did.
10. Because I sent a cheque to NY State Tax and Finance in one lump sum they didn't apply it to my total bill. Apparently NYSTF likes to get multiple cheques back for the multiple primitive "bills" they send out to offenders. And though I had an over $200 credit in my account they did not (and said they could not) apply it to additional monies owed for other years. It just sat there earning no interest (puns intended) waiting for me to get in touch with the idiocrats at NYSTF asking for its return. Surreal.
11. To get a final solution to my problem we, me and my tax accountant, had to go through three people, all of whom asked for the same information. While we were told by one NYSTF official that he didn't think I owed any additional money, another bureaucrat told me I did, despite the fact that there was monies in my account that would have covered two thirds of what I supposedly owed. And it all only took one hour and a half to do. That's snark. Surreal.
Kafka, of course, would not be surprised by any and all of the above. The idiocracy rules New York State. I think it is time for me to get out of a state that treats its "takers" like serf swine and its Wall Street "makers", the real flim flam and confidence men of today, like demigods.
Addendum:
And the incompetence continues. Today, 29 October, I got a call from NYSTF, Diane to be specific, saying they can apply my refund to the charges against my account. Of course, this was two days after I sent a cheque to them for the full amount. I asked them to do this back in July but never even got a response from that good old arrogant royal bureaucracy on high. NYSTF and NY state takes incompetence and Kafkaesque surrealism to new heights. I suppose that this is something New York State can take pride in, in a twisted and perverse sort of way.
Addendum II
So I sent the incompetent, den of idiots, and den of Ebenezer Scrooge NYSTF a third cheque for a bill they claim I owe. I think I overpaid but I want to get these wankers off my back and it is easier to write a cheque than deal with a bunch of incompetent wanks who think they are god almighty. I sent this cheque by registered mail on 26 October 2012. To show you how incompetent or mammon greedy these wankers are I received a royal decree dated 11/06/2012 demanding that I pay them what I already paid them on the 26th. And of course, the decree states that they will continue to take their pound of flesh in interest. How they can charge interest on an accident based on their poor tax form writing is beyond me. They surely can't demand interest on what is already paid I would assume but then again this is New York State.
To top it all off NYSTF still owes me $200 bucks plus. I still haven't received my 2011 refund. I, of course, will demand that they owe me interest for not sending it to me but as you know dear unreaders I am unlikely to get interest because I am a powerless citizen trapped in a labyrinth populated by bloodsucking tax and finance bureaucrats who, it appears, wouldn't know their arses from a hole in the ground and who take gobshiteing to levels of unforeseen heights.
Addendum III
Apparently the monies the New York State Tax and Finance Department owed me and have owed me since April will have interest applied to them. I am gobsmacked. I will believe when I see it. As of yet, 3 December, I haven't seen it.
Addendum IV
I finally got my tax refund today a full eight months after I filed my tax paperwork with the New York State Tax and Finance Department. And despite claims from the Tax Department bureaucrats that I would be receiving interest on the monies NYSTF had in their accounts for this eight months that turned out to be more inept shite from the gobshites at New York State Tax and Finance. I couldn't help but think of double standards here. When we do something wrong, intentional or not, they get more than a pound of flesh from us. When they do something inept with our accounts its ooops, sorry, but no interest or penalties for you. I guess we should expect no more from a wanker bureaucracy in a wanker state. If there was justice...
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