HELP, how can I get permission from the IRS to go visit my ailing Mum?
How do I qualify for ’special circumstances, permission to sail’ certificate’ from the IRS?
I’m a good person, not trying to cheat anybody or break any laws. I’m out of work right now and have run dry of funds. I’m an British citizen living in Las Vegas. I’ve found ‘dealing’ with the IRS a REAL uphill challenge.
MY SITUATION: I was getting demanding letters & phone calls from the IRS, so I decided to go down to my local IRS office and ’sort out the situation’. Seems I had not filed for some years …one year I hadn’t filed properly (they fined me $300 for a frivolous return and fined me with interest and other penalties for various things) …and basically I owed them $3000. …which I don’t have. I disputed this amount (in a pleasant manner of course) and eventually they gave me numerous print-outs of their ‘facts & figures’. I was told unless I agreed to a payment plan on this amout, they could stop me from going back to England if I wanted or needed to, so I agreed to the payment plan, just to get ‘the monkey off my back’.
I was told while this payment plan was in effect I would have to come back to the IRS office to get a ‘permission to sail’ certificate a few days before I was to fly home. I would have to show proof that I have a valid return ticket.
During this time I had a motorcycle accident which caused a painful problem in my left shoulder and right knee (It was just me skidding on desert dust. I have no medical insurance)
…six weeks later, I get a call from my sister-in-law saying, I should come home as my mum is not well, and she sent funds ($2000) and I bought my plane ticket for July 6th. …I could now, also check out MY ‘injuries’ when I got back to England!
Yesterday, I went to my local IRS office as instructed and produced the necessary documents, and was informed that I could NOT receive the ‘permission to sail’ certificate because their regulations state that I must pay all taxes in full. On explaining (politely) that I was given different information previously and is it possible I could qualify for a ’special circumstances permission to sail’ certificate’? I was told, ‘there is NO such thing’, I said, ‘are you sure …America IS a compassionate country and there must be a solution to my problem? …I mentioned once again (politely) that I have bought the (non-refundable) ticket based on information given to me 6 weeks previously by her colleague in the booth opposite.
THAT’S when the IRS lady got REAL nasty and basically told me that this meeting was over and I needed to leave. I asked (politely) if I could speak to the manger. I was told to wait in the public lobby, which I did for 30 minutes. I was then silently pointed at by a security officer and indicated to come with him. He pointed to where I should stand. The manager came out and stood behind the counter, and I was beckoned by a security officer to stand in front of the desk (he stood close to my right). The manager informed me sternly (politely)that the IRS person who gave me the ‘wrong’ information could not remember our conversation or my situation (although I had spent 2 consecutive days with her, 6 weeks previous trying to get help updating my returns).
On hearing this, I asked the manager if it was true that all conversations are recorded, she said ‘yes’. I said let’s listen to the recording. She told me that the recordings are for her(the manager) to make sure her people were doing their job correctly! … I said exactly, can I have a copy of the conversations …she said she couldn’t give me a copy because upper management was in charge of those things. The manager was talking angrily and quite loud. I then asked if I could ask her one more question which was, ‘even though I had visited several times, why wasn’t I able to have my tax filling situation brought up to date?’ .
I was told that they could not bring them up to date today. I asked (politely) when they would be able to help me bring them up to date? …can I come back tomorrow? She said ‘yes, we open at 8.30′ am.
So guess where I’ve got to go this morning, that’s right, back to the IRS office and try to get my tax returns up to date. I now understand WHY the letters IRS bring the reaction from folk I talk to.
QUESTION: Am I entitled to access to the recordings (under the freedom of information act?)
QUESTION: Will it do any good, am I in a ‘no win’ situation?
BUT most of all, how can I get permission from the IRS to go visit my ailing Mum?
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