Comments on: Private eye seeks help from Whistleblower to solve the mystery of the $1 tax refund http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 07:35:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: beth http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4605 beth Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:18:52 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4605 I think it is absolutely rediculous that people are getting these checks for pennies and a dollar heere and there. I have the opposite problem. I was not receiving my bill for my insurance, so I was just sending them what I thought was the monthly payment. It turns out that I overpaid them by $120! I talked with them in person, and they told me that they were going to send me a check for the amount overpaid, but I never received that check. Instead they automatically, without my consent, applied it to my next 6 month coverage span. That i feel is wrong. people, feel good that you are getting back what is owed to you, even if you feel it is a waste of the paper it was printed on, because when you might have a larger amount owed to you, they may do the same thing to you that they did to me....how is this ethically right? It's our money, and we should decide where it goes. I think it is absolutely rediculous that people are getting these checks for pennies and a dollar heere and there. I have the opposite problem. I was not receiving my bill for my insurance, so I was just sending them what I thought was the monthly payment. It turns out that I overpaid them by $120! I talked with them in person, and they told me that they were going to send me a check for the amount overpaid, but I never received that check. Instead they automatically, without my consent, applied it to my next 6 month coverage span. That i feel is wrong. people, feel good that you are getting back what is owed to you, even if you feel it is a waste of the paper it was printed on, because when you might have a larger amount owed to you, they may do the same thing to you that they did to me….how is this ethically right? It’s our money, and we should decide where it goes.

]]> By: Bebop http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4453 Bebop Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:27:41 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4453 My wife once got a 34 cent check from a large Twin Cities company because we had overpaid a bill. We questioned the efficiency of this and the cost, since it cost more than 34 cents to send the check. For those who think the business model is so efficient and effective, think again. My wife once got a 34 cent check from a large Twin Cities company because we had overpaid a bill. We questioned the efficiency of this and the cost, since it cost more than 34 cents to send the check. For those who think the business model is so efficient and effective, think again.

]]> By: Carly http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4443 Carly Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:10:14 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4443 I also got a $1 check from the IRS and had no idea why. I thought it was so ridiculous that the Feds spent the money to send me a $1 check that I returned it and suggested that they apply it to the national debt. In response, I got 6 pages of forms to fill out saying what I wanted them to do with the money. I have not returned the forms! I also got a $1 check from the IRS and had no idea why. I thought it was so ridiculous that the Feds spent the money to send me a $1 check that I returned it and suggested that they apply it to the national debt. In response, I got 6 pages of forms to fill out saying what I wanted them to do with the money. I have not returned the forms!

]]> By: Chris http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4442 Chris Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:53:00 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4442 This is perfect evidence of the efficiencies of government. This sounds like the sound practices of Medicare. I know let's allow the government to control more business. If we scale this $1 to Healthcare it should only cost us a few hundred.... million! This is perfect evidence of the efficiencies of government. This sounds like the sound practices of Medicare. I know let’s allow the government to control more business. If we scale this $1 to Healthcare it should only cost us a few hundred…. million!

]]> By: Much ado http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4439 Much ado Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:19:59 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4439 cpati has the right of it...it's much easier to automatically process transactions rather than to deal in exceptions...why would they bother to treat the $1 any differently...that would require human oversight and interaction. Now, if Congress passed a law allowing them to just hang onto it and have the person put it on their next year's return, that'd be ok...similarly to the way a mortgage servicer can keep up to $50 of surplus in their account rather than cut you a check...in that case, the IRS's software could be modified accordingly...and still not require human interaction. cpati has the right of it…it’s much easier to automatically process transactions rather than to deal in exceptions…why would they bother to treat the $1 any differently…that would require human oversight and interaction. Now, if Congress passed a law allowing them to just hang onto it and have the person put it on their next year’s return, that’d be ok…similarly to the way a mortgage servicer can keep up to $50 of surplus in their account rather than cut you a check…in that case, the IRS’s software could be modified accordingly…and still not require human interaction.

]]> By: Barry http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4438 Barry Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:06:01 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4438 Sorry, Jim, but WHO CARES! Sorry, Jim, but WHO CARES!

]]> By: Plexi http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4437 Plexi Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:56:03 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4437 Why is this a whistleblower story?? The IRS owed him $1, and paid him $1.. If it didn't pay him, you'd have run the story about the IRS pocketing the $1. Why is this a whistleblower story?? The IRS owed
him $1, and paid him $1.. If it didn’t pay him, you’d
have run the story about the IRS pocketing the $1.

]]> By: Island Despot http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4436 Island Despot Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:21:24 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4436 Cpati...WOW! You used the phrase "more efficient" and government in the same sentence. WOW again! Also, you either missed the entire point of the situation or you work for the IRS. lol Cpati…WOW! You used the phrase “more efficient”
and government in the same sentence. WOW again!
Also, you either missed the entire point of the situation
or you work for the IRS. lol

]]> By: cpatl http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4433 cpatl Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:00:56 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4433 In many cases, it is more efficient for a business (or the government) to treat a tiny transaction like this the same as they would treat a large transaction. You'd spend more time and money trying to remove the little transactions from the books than to just let them go on as usual. There are bigger fish to fry, Mr. Whistleblower. Go find them. In many cases, it is more efficient for a business (or the government) to treat a tiny transaction like this the same as they would treat a large transaction. You’d spend more time and money trying to remove the little transactions from the books than to just let them go on as usual. There are bigger fish to fry, Mr. Whistleblower. Go find them.

]]> By: FormerBusinessOwner http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4432 FormerBusinessOwner Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:19:22 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/whistleblower/2009/07/20/private-eye-seeks-help-from-whistleblower-to-solve-the-mystery-of-the-1-tax-refund/#comment-4432 To claim it as "unusual" for a demand letter to come out before a due date is clearly an uninformed comment. I remember panic nearly setting in the first time I received such a letter from the IRS, and it was, indeed, before the due date. It has been many years now, and I haven't run that business since the end of the last century (I just had to state it that way), or I might remember more details. It seemed to be a fairly common occurrence, and I remember learning to ignore the early demand letters (after a number of instances and many phone calls). To claim it as “unusual” for a demand letter to come out before a due date is clearly an uninformed comment. I remember panic nearly setting in the first time I received such a letter from the IRS, and it was, indeed, before the due date.

It has been many years now, and I haven’t run that business since the end of the last century (I just had to state it that way), or I might remember more details. It seemed to be a fairly common occurrence, and I remember learning to ignore the early demand letters (after a number of instances and many phone calls).

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