Now that I am thoroughly cranky and sleep-deprived, I get a letter from the IRS saying I did not pay my 2011 taxes. I was expecting a notice saying they had received my copy of the check they cashed in March 2011 and never mind all the talk about penalties and seizing my property. No, it was the same message I got before.
So I call the toll-free number and let the robot lady wrangle me through the choices. I obey her commands: "Press 1 NOW!" - to no avail. At the very end of a long exchange, her final advice is that they can't deal with me now, call back Wednesday or Thursday. Or I could go to www.irs.com.
After some fulminating, I take her advice to go online. Whoops! Another merry-go-round. But, if I really want to get somewhere, the online advice is to GET ON THE PHONE!
Nooo! They have my money, now they want what's left of my mind!
I weigh my choices. I could pay up again and then when they find out they are wrong, I will have a credit for 2012. And they won't go around telling my banks and credit card companies that I am a deadbeat. Or I could send another copy of the cashed check to prove they got my money.
I get copies but can't choose a course of action due to my brain being fried by trying to cope with recent stupidities of life on Block 832.
Maybe tomorrow. They are giving me until July 12 to pay up or face the consequences. Again.
--Bernice
I hate with a passion automated answering programs. With Comcast, you have to hear the same stuff over and over each time.
ReplyDeleteI know the company is "saving money" by not hiring real people.
But .. what about my time that I have to sit and listen to a dumb computer give me information I don't need, can't understand my answers, and doesn't speedily get me to who I need to talk to.
I love technology for all the benefits it gives. I don't consider this a benefit.
Argghghggh!!!!
Olive
Oh Bernice, one just can't make this stuff up! Pathways to madness...
ReplyDeleteTry this website to get around those menus
ReplyDeletehttp://whatis.techtarget.com/reference/Bypass-IVRS-Talk-to-a-real-person-cheatsheet