9 Things To Keep In Mind Before You Ask The Taxgirl

With just a few days to go before the IRS starts to accept e-filed returns, my inbox is chock full of Ask The Taxgirl® emails. Here are some things to remember:

1. I get a lot of emails and I read every single one. I’m not ignoring you but you’re also not the only email I’ll get today. So please be patient.
2. I consider a lot of factors when I choose a question to post. If I notice a similar bunch of questions (for example, about how the Making Work Pay Credit affects your taxes this year), I’ll try to answer those first. I also think about the timeliness: if something is making headlines now or affects your filing, I’m likely to post that before a more general question.
3. Your question may be too broad or too specific. I do get questions like “Should I file Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately?” without another word. In contrast, I’ve gotten questions that include absolutely every detail, down to a diary of phone calls to IRS and names of dependents. Fill me in on the details and state your question plainly without giving me too much information. I don’t need your shoe size or your mother’s maiden name. And hey, I’m a chatty girl. I get that you might fear that you’re leaving something out but don’t worry – if it’s just a little piece of info and I think I’ll need it, I’ll ask you. I don’t redact your question before I post it (except for the email address) so don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want your mother – or mine – to see.
4. Don’t send a note asking for favors: I won’t call the IRS and find out where your rebate checks are, why your refunds aren’t what you expected or why your return wasn’t accepted as filed. Notwithstanding that I can’t do those things anyway without a Power of Attorney which authorizes me to, I’m not your tax attorney unless you have a representation letter from me. So please don’t ask. And don’t send me your personal information like your Social Security number out of the blue. Honestly, I’m a good person – just ask my mother. But you shouldn’t take such risks with anyone you don’t know. It’s scary.
5. I rarely answer specific state or local tax questions. I just can’t. As much as I’d love to help – and I would – I just don’t know the specific property tax laws in Petaluma or the sales tax rules in Peoria.
6. I have a spam filter. I have to. Mostly because of, well, you know, evil spammers. My spam filter will almost always dump your email into spam if your email doesn’t have a subject. Try including a word or two in the subject to tell me what your question is about, like “mortgage interest question” or “I don’t have my 1099” – it will help make sure that the emails end up where they need to be. Make sure that you send it to the right address (askthetaxgirl@taxgirl.com), too. You can also post on Facebook or via twitter but remember that your information – including your name and question – will be visible to others.
7. I am almost always happy to help out a fellow journalist with a piece or give an interview about a tax story. If you’re looking to seek me out for a story, don’t contact me through the askthetaxgirl email. Choose one of these options instead and be sure to give me a quick idea of what you’re looking for and whether you have any applicable deadlines. If you’re a reader and you just want to say hi, try following me on twitter or like my page on Facebook – you’ll probably hear from me sooner.
8. If you’re actually sitting in an audit or jail, I can’t stress enough how much you need to put down the computer and find yourself a good tax professional right now. Run, do not walk, to the phones and call someone to help you.
9. I love answering your questions. I really do. It’s why I do it. But I’m a lawyer, not a miracle worker. I’m also not a marriage counselor, doctor, or investment advisor. So ask accordingly.

And one more thing:

Since you can never have enough disclaimers…

And there are a bunch of cheats out there – or at least the IRS thinks so…

And I need to sleep at night…

IRS Circular 230 notice: In order to comply with requirements imposed by the IRS, I must inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this blog is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter that is contained in this blog.

It will also fail to make you rich, lose weight, get white teeth or regrow hair that has been lost. I can’t guarantee dates or life matches (in fact, it’s arguable that if your friends find out that you read a tax blog, you could lose points). I have never made a good stock tip and I can’t buy your gold. I’m also miserable at making pie.

With all of that in mind, ask away! And keep an eye out for my Ask the taxgirl® LIVE segment coming up in the next couple of weeks. Also on tap? A couple of cool videos that I’ve made (okay, I admit that cool is relative), fun giveaways and a form 1040 primer. Because paying taxes is painful… but reading about them shouldn’t be.

Kelly Phillips Erb

Kelly Phillips Erb is a tax attorney, tax writer, and podcaster.

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