My Five Cents' Worth: Thoughts on Taxes

Last week, my tax check showed up.

(Happy dance!)

Yes, I'm one of those people who would rather overpay. I've watched too many friends do "estimated taxes," then lose their minds when they owed a chunk of cash, usually on the same week they had a huge car repair bill or lost an appliance. So the check arrived and a week later, I get a letter from the IRS.

COLD panic.

Even knowing I am a good little citizen---and would never dream of playing games with the Fed, I still freaked out. So I opened the letter. I made a mistake on my calculations (I did?) and they "adjusted my refund." I read the letter carefully, and then I saw it. Five cents. I was off by five cents. So little that I didn't notice the difference when the check came.

They went onto say I could appeal it (seriously?) but also that if I accepted it, I should be getting my check (the one that already came) in three to five weeks.Even with auto fill, the letter cost more to fill out and send than I owed.

Ummm... huh?

So I have a BRILLIANT idea. There is already a federal statute to reduce paper; maybe I should write to the IRS and suggest "Give Or Take a Buck." This is a simple plan. If you are off on your tax calculations by plus or minus a dollar, they can make the adjustment, and NOT send a letter. (Better for blood pressure, you'd agree?)

They must send MILLIONS of those letters a year. And I am betting a goodly number are for tiny differences. Imagine the savings generated by not having to print, mail, etc.? They are always asking me if I want to contribute a dollar of my taxes to political campaigns. So why not make a difference this way?

I know, everyone is terrified by the IRS. No one wants to pay more taxes, but this strikes me as a "no-brainer. " And yes, I've met the people who would fight them for a nickel. Thankfully, they are few. So few that it would be worth taking the call when one has a melt down over five cents. THEN you can send them a letter. But as a human being who NEVER wants to see a piece of mail from the IRS with my name on it? I would appreciate the tax savings. And it's even green! Fewer trees to cut! Less mail to carry. Less gas carrying the mail. I'm liking this!

So who's with me? Give or take a buck?