Politics As Usual
Shining a Light on Power and Policy
Tom Shine covers congressional politics for ABC News.
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So Far, Not Too Bad
June 19, 2008 10:05 AM
It's not often that you hear Nina Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate utter these words: "In light of its limited resources I believe the IRS on balance has done an OUTSTANDING JOB...." But that is what she will say when she testifies this morning before a house ways and means subcommittee looking into how the IRS is handling sending out all those economic stimulus checks.
Olson will say the IRS in essence was required to run "TWO FILING SEASONS SIMULTANEOUSLY" this year, the regular 2008 filing season and a economic stimulus package handout. IRS commissioner Douglas Shulman, who will also testify, says in addition to that the IRS had to deal with an AMT FIX which congress passed late. Shulman says his staff worked "NIGHTS, WEEKENDS and during the HOLIDAY SEASON" to make it work.
The commissioner will tell house members that as of "JUNE 13, 2008, the IRS has processed economic stimulus payments to over 76 MILLION taxpayers totaling almost $64 BILLION." Shulman also says that SHORTLY AFTER TODAY's HEARING the IRS will send a SECOND NOTICE to those who may be eligible for the economic stimulus checks but have not yet filed a return. He says this notice will provide them with INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FILE.
BUT THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SOME GLITCHES. Olson says "the SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS of 1,500 TAXPAYERS were inadvertently disclosed when the IRS routed stimulus checks to the WRONG BANK ACCOUNTS. Olson also says, though not caused by IRS error, there was additional frustration when more than 20 MILLION taxpayers who purchased REFUND ANTICIPATION LOANS or REFUND ANTICIPATION CHECKS suddenly discovered they were ineligible to get their stimulus checks quickly through direct deposit. They had to wait an addition 2 months or more.
And then there are the phone calls. Olson says "in light of its limited resources the IRS WAS NOT ABLE TO STAFF ITS TELEPHONE LINES ADEQUATELY..." Last year the IRS-wide level of service on the toll-free telephone lines was 80.6%. This year so far it has dropped to 62.8%. The level of service on the TELEPHONE LINE DEDICATED TO STIMULUS CHECK QUESTIONS is FAR WORSE---47.7% so far this year.
June 19, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1)
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If she said anything different, they'd fire her and she'd have to go get a real job!
Posted by: DAVID NH | Jun 19, 2008 10:21:58 AM
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