Apparently, some people like to give the gov’t free loans. And then there are those that give flat out grants.
I just finished working on a client who year after year brings in her tax info from three years prior. Why or when she started this, but as long as we have records for her (seven years so far), she’s done the same thing despite our proddings and warnings. She’s never owed, and is always due a fairly substantial [tag]refund[/tag] (I’ve talked to her about adjusting the withholding as well, but it falls on deaf ears), so the IRS really could care less if she files or not – in fact, would probably prefer she didn’t file. But this year, I bet she sure will!
Normally, she strolls in around April 1st carrying a box with every piece of mail that has a number somewhere in it (barely exaggerating). From three tax years ago! We chat a bit on what she’s done during the year, financially and otherwise, just to make sure nothing material has changed, tell her to check back in a couple days to sign, harass her to get up-to-date on filing etc. etc. She leaves, I search through the box for her W-2s & 1099-INTs – she’s a simple wage earner with a little interest income (along the lines of $50 from a savings account) on the side. Still, I do my due diligence and look through the rest (phone/electrical/cable/CC bills, bank statements, etc.) to see if there’s anything she failed to mention.
This year she came in late yesterday instead, a whole three days (and three years, remember) after the filing deadline. Instead of a big, albeit 1,000+ days deferred, refund she’d get to the tune of $2,500 or so, she’ll get precisely $0. The [tag]IRS[/tag] gives you three years to claim your refund – after that, it’s forfeited and you’re SOL. We’ve warned her every year.
She’s not going to be happy, but I’m finding it hard to empathize…
[tags]taxes[/tags]
