Comments on: IRS Seeks Seniors Who Haven’t Filed: You’re Picking Up the Tab

By: Last week in review June 29th, 2008 « “the tax guy”

Last week in review June 29th, 2008 « “the tax guy” — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:22:54 +0000

[...] On Monday, IRS Seeks Seniors Who Haven’t Filed: You’re Picking Up the Tab, Having a “free check” for folks by requiring them to file when they don’t normally have to file isn’t quite as simple as you’d think. THE TAX GIRL [...]

By: Carol Fritz

Carol Fritz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:28:48 +0000

Can the “rebate” be taken as a tax credit if one has extended their 2007 filing date? I heard this characterized as a “tax credit in advance” which implies that one can.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:21:47 +0000

Urbie,
You’re right but where would the photo opp be without a big cardboard check to stand beside? Tax credits just aren’t as exciting.

By: Urbie

Urbie — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:20:33 +0000

Why send us a check at all? Why didn’t they just give us a tax credit when we filed our ‘07 return? That would have cost the IRS essentially nothing, and would have gotten the “money” into our hands on April 15th, instead of making us watch the mailbox like a hawk as the checks trickle in over the next few months. George W. Bush has had a lot of stupid ideas since he took office, but this one (which, just to be fair, he stole from George McGovern, who wanted to send every citizen a check for $1,000) takes the cake.

Urb

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:06:38 +0000

TexasEd,
I agree. There are a number of ways to have made this more efficient - why not base it on 2006 filings, for example, since the rebate was approved in winter (before tax season 07)?
I still believe that this is a major compliance motive here (to make people file).

By: Robert Scotese

Robert Scotese — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:06:33 +0000

Right again - taxgirl!

By: TexasEd

TexasEd — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:43:50 +0000

I know this sounds stupid, but if the government can identify these folks, why don’t they just send them a check? I guess the enabling legislation required a filed return before a check was issued — apparently the “experts” didn’t think this one through. Seriously, wouldn’t it have been cheaper in the long run to just send them all a check? I hate to keep using the term “stupid,” but nothing more appropriate comes to mind!