If You Ask Me To Call…

My 2011 income tax was unusual. I worked for two employers (maybe you heard) receiving a lump sum from one.

Somehow this got me into the penalty box! Too little was withheld. I had to pay extra for the error.

This weekend I got a letter from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. It says they want more cash!

It’s a three page note (page four says “This page intentionally left blank” in bold type) which concludes,

If you believe the amount of interest calculated for underpayment of estimated income tax is the direct result of a withholding error in connection to the retroactive income tax rate increase, please contact DRS.

Hello! I am the poster child for underpayment of estimated income tax the direct result of a withholding error in connection to the retroactive income tax rate increase.

I called DRS. They have no email address.

I got a typical ‘high call volume’ recording followed by,

“Your call is important to us. Call back later.”

Click.

They hung up!

Seriously, is that the best they can do? How about taking a number and calling me back when you get some time? Is there really someone there who feels having me randomly call hoping a DRS can talk is a good solution?

No one likes to pay taxes. Can’t you folks at least make it a little more pleasant?

The DRS seal says, “Service excellence is our goal.”

12 thoughts on “If You Ask Me To Call…”

  1. The best thing to do with DRS is keep hitting zero until you get a person. It was the only way my oldest son could get a question answered.

  2. When you call don’t hit anything. They will think you have a rotary phone and you will get transferred to someone.

  3. “No one likes to pay taxes. Can’t you folks at least make it a little more pleasant?”

    When you deal with the state, NOTHING is pleasant…..

  4. I prepare tax returns during the season and many people were in your situation. Some had way too much taken out and others too little. Since you probably got your “lump sum” early in the year, and they could not account for the increase in the middle of the year, you owed a lot.
    At least next year will be better…(we hope)

  5. Just remember, ANY organization with the word “service” prominently featured in it’s name generally does not deliver any.

    Other examples are the “Internal Revenue Service”, the “US Postal Service” and my particular favorite, the “Navy Supply Service”.

    I’m sure you all can think of others…

  6. Reminds me of the glory years of the CT DMV, when you called the one number they had only to discover that it was completely unmanned and had no machine. This is how I know that once a phone rings 47 times, you get a recording from the phone company saying “the party you are calling is not available. Please try again later.”

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