Needing advice

[rebeltaz83]

Any tax people on here I could use some advice. I filed my taxes last year. Took them to the accountant that has done then the last 3 years. I gave them my w2 mid March.... And I waited, and waited. And off course the covid shutdown, so the tax deadline was extended. Everytime I called I was told it'll be a couple weeks. August rolls around, now they want to know how i'm filing, got that straightened out. December they call me and tell me they are done. I owe IRS, no big deal. That same day I mailed my check to the address given to me by the CPA. My check has not been cashed (still to this day). Got a letter in the mail Monday, from the IRS saying I now own an extra (almost double the original amount) for not paying.... I'm not very happy about this, tried for an hour to get somebody at the IRS on the phone. I finally got frustrated and paid it online to get them off my back before I rack up anymore interest, and late fees. Got looking at the paper the CPA gave me they did file an extension, but the other paper with the address I mailed my check too said to mail it on or before October 15th 2020.... They didn't call me until December!!! The lady at the CPA when I stopped said the IRS office was 6 months behind on opening mail, true? With the covid and all its possible. Somebody dropped the ball, and it wasn't me. I'm not happy by any means but I am looking for advice.... I want to seek legal action. I don't feel I should be penalized for other people/ people's mistakes. I did my part.

 

[02GF74]

Do you have any proof the letter with the cheque was received?

Over here, for a small payment, we can post item that require a signature by the person who accepts the item as proof of delivery.

If you don't have that, the IRS can simply say the cheque never arrived, and how can you disprove that.

Annoying as it may be, losing financially due to someone else's cock up, without this you are just going to get wound up.

Take a deep beat, dust down the leathers and get a few miles in on the bike or cut the lawn.

 

[rebeltaz83]

Do you have any proof the letter with the cheque was received?

Over here, for a small payment, we can post item that require a signature by the person who accepts the item as proof of delivery.

If you don't have that, the IRS can simply say the cheque never arrived, and how can you disprove that.

Annoying as it may be, losing financially due to someone else's cock up, without this you are just going to get wound up.

Take a deep beat, dust down the leathers and get a few miles in on the bike or cut the lawn.

I don't. I didn't think you could do a certified letter to a P.O. box nobody to sign for it. Yeah, I'm thinking I'm just gonna have to suck this one up.

 

[Radioguylogs]

You probably know, the extension doesn't avoid the late fees, it just relieves the legal responsibility to file on time.

I had a CPA finish late one year and they voluntarily paid the late fees.

However, It sound like part of of problem is the CPA responsibility (July->Dec), and part is your responsibility (Dec ->now).

I always copy the check and the stamped envelope when I send important payments. I would be showing the copy of the dated check and the envelope to the IRS and asking to waive the late fees.

Since you don't have a copy of the check/envelope, maybe you can show the sequence of check numbers, and prove the prior and subsequent check numbers from the December timeframe were cashed?

 

[rebeltaz83]

You probably know, the extension doesn't avoid the late fees, it just relieves the legal responsibility to file on time.

I had a CPA finish late one year and they voluntarily paid the late fees.

However, It sound like part of of problem is the CPA responsibility (July->Dec), and part is your responsibility (Dec ->now).

I always copy the check and the stamped envelope when I send important payments. I would be showing the copy of the dated check and the envelope to the IRS and asking to waive the late fees.

Since you don't have a copy of the check/envelope, maybe you can show the sequence of check numbers, and prove the prior and subsequent check numbers from the December timeframe were cashed?

I have a carbon copy of the check, the check hasn't been cashed yet, so it got lost, or they truly are months behind opening mail at the IRS branch. What the CPA failed to tell me was, I could have avoided the late penalties, by paying online. But, nope set me up for failure from the start. Called me after the October deadline, and didn't even bother to tell me there would be penalties even after I already wrote a check for the original amount, very shady. Needles to say, I'm not going back to them.

 

[2017VMax]

It's an expensive life lesson. I've done my own taxes my entire life, most of it using turbotax. One time I tryed H&R and they told me I owe 1000.00 dollars plus fees. Well I had already done them at home using turbotax (all but the send button) and I was getting 1000.00 on there. I told them never mind and never looked back. In all the years I have had to contact them a few times and it's never easy. These day getting anyone on the phone takes a miracle at best. Getting them to help, it just doesn't happen. If I were you I'd let it go and never look back. It's just one of those ****** things that happened. Put your energy into making sure it never happens again.

 

[ouchez]

Any tax people on here I could use some advice. I filed my taxes last year. Took them to the accountant that has done then the last 3 years. I gave them my w2 mid March.... And I waited, and waited. And off course the covid shutdown, so the tax deadline was extended. Everytime I called I was told it'll be a couple weeks. August rolls around, now they want to know how i'm filing, got that straightened out. December they call me and tell me they are done. I owe IRS, no big deal. That same day I mailed my check to the address given to me by the CPA. My check has not been cashed (still to this day). Got a letter in the mail Monday, from the IRS saying I now own an extra (almost double the original amount) for not paying.... I'm not very happy about this, tried for an hour to get somebody at the IRS on the phone. I finally got frustrated and paid it online to get them off my back before I rack up anymore interest, and late fees. Got looking at the paper the CPA gave me they did file an extension, but the other paper with the address I mailed my check too said to mail it on or before October 15th 2020.... They didn't call me until December!!! The lady at the CPA when I stopped said the IRS office was 6 months behind on opening mail, true? With the covid and all its possible. Somebody dropped the ball, and it wasn't me. I'm not happy by any means but I am looking for advice.... I want to seek legal action. I don't feel I should be penalized for other people/ people's mistakes. I did my part.

Call you Senator or Congressman, they have people to help you out in this case. I think you should find a new CPA. Gotta love those Fed's!!

 

[ouchez]

It's an expensive life lesson. I've done my own taxes my entire life, most of it using turbotax. One time I tryed H&R and they told me I owe 1000.00 dollars plus fees. Well I had already done them at home using turbotax (all but the send button) and I was getting 1000.00 on there. I told them never mind and never looked back. In all the years I have had to contact them a few times and it's never easy. These day getting anyone on the phone takes a miracle at best. Getting them to help, it just doesn't happen. If I were you I'd let it go and never look back. It's just one of those ****** things that happened. Put your energy into making sure it never happens again.

I think "Patriotism" is a two way street!

 

[rebeltaz83]

Call you Senator or Congressman, they have people to help you out in this case. I think you should find a new CPA. Gotta love those Fed's!!

I'm not going back to them, that's for dang sure lol. Found another one near where I moved, worth a shot. I like the private CPAs, owner/operated.

 

[VmaXXX]

I always owe and always write a check. Taking a lesson from your experience this year though and paying online. Glad I read this before mailing the check.

 

[Rollie]

I would fight it. I am a sub-contractor for a company that has the contract for certain work at the post office. We are there probably 3 days every week doing gate , gate operators and fence work. I can assure you , between the post office and their incompetent workers ( said with a smile because their screwups make me $ ) and the IRS , who most definitely did not open your mail on time. Getting the IRS to admit it tho , would be improbable if not impossible . They like to close cases and I would appeal as long as possible. You may get a case worker who just wants to move your file off his / her desk. My girlfriend's check sat in a pile for over 5 months , but she sent it certified mail and had a signature.

 

[02GF74]

My girlfriend's check sat in a pile for over 5 months , but she sent it certified mail and had a signature.

and here's the rub, the OP stated he didn't. Maybe contest it but don't spend too much time/money/stressing over it

 

[rebeltaz83]

and here's the rub, the OP stated he didn't. Maybe contest it but don't spend too much time/money/stressing over it

I'm not gonna stress to much, things out of my control unfortunately and things so happen from time to time. I'm gonna go to my local IRS office and explain to them what happened and see if I have grounds to file a complaint against the CPA.... I had until October 15 with the extension to pay my federal, but they called me in December after the October deadline and I have the dates in printer form on the paper from the CPA with the October deadline and December 4 printed on the same sheet. I wrote 3 checks that day and 2 of 3 were cashed.

 

[Jerry Klay]

Post office is UNBELIEVABLE BAD these days. NJ to Philadelphia 7 weeks! It's less then 80 mi from me.

I know years ago it was the postmark date that counted. I send tax checks registered. Costs about $3.00 and gives you a tracking number.

 

[Allen Zielinski]

I own an income tax preparation business & have been preparing taxes now for 32 years. I am a one man operation working from home. I can tell you your CPA did a terrible injustice. First an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Right on the extension form it asks if you owe any taxes & if you do to send it in with the extension. You only have extra time to file not to pay. Since the tax deadline was extended last year to July 15 your fines & penalties stated on July 15 regardless of the extension. Then you said you were instructed to send a check in December, well that even after your extension expired. I see CPA firm always overbook then they can not get the job done. If a firm can not calculate your taxes to see if you owe so you can pay with the extension they should send you to someone that can. That's just good business & the right thing to do. Last year the IRS shut down. They did not open any mail for months. They ran out of room in their mail department so mail was stored in trailers in the parking lot until IRS workers were called back to work. This situation was highly known in the tax preparers industry. If the post office did not loose your check the IRS might have.

I the future, if you owe, you have the option right with the electronic filing to have your payment directly debited from you account. Or online payment is secure an a good option rather than sending a check as you now know. But again it must be paid before the due date that was July 15 last year. This should have all been explained to you so run from this CPA firm. And yes they will sign for certified mail to an IRS P.O. box. I have done it many many times in the past. As fare as telling the IRS you sent the check forget it. Even if it was sent certified and you had proof they received it you would still be penalized for paying late past the July deadline.

 

[rebeltaz83]

I own an income tax preparation business & have been preparing taxes now for 32 years. I am a one man operation working from home. I can tell you your CPA did a terrible injustice. First an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Right on the extension form it asks if you owe any taxes & if you do to send it in with the extension. You only have extra time to file not to pay. Since the tax deadline was extended last year to July 15 your fines & penalties stated on July 15 regardless of the extension. Then you said you were instructed to send a check in December, well that even after your extension expired. I see CPA firm always overbook then they can not get the job done. If a firm can not calculate your taxes to see if you owe so you can pay with the extension they should send you to someone that can. That's just good business & the right thing to do. Last year the IRS shut down. They did not open any mail for months. They ran out of room in their mail department so mail was stored in trailers in the parking lot until IRS workers were called back to work. This situation was highly known in the tax preparers industry. If the post office did not loose your check the IRS might have.

I the future, if you owe, you have the option right with the electronic filing to have your payment directly debited from you account. Or online payment is secure an a good option rather than sending a check as you now know. But again it must be paid before the due date that was July 15 last year. This should have all been explained to you so run from this CPA firm. And yes they will sign for certified mail to an IRS P.O. box. I have done it many many times in the past. As fare as telling the IRS you sent the check forget it. Even if it was sent certified and you had proof they received it you would still be penalized for paying late past the July deadline.

Sounds like I'm just gonna have to eat this one, and like it..... SMH, shady businesses.