30 million tax returns may be delayed due to Congress inactivity

JaJae · 12-05-2007, 03:54 PM

I made a thread about the Congress not getting the budget projects done and how behind they were. The Republicans were essentially pleading with them to get their acts together, yet the refused. They even had the gall to hold back a spending bill for our vets as leverage against the GOP.

Now their inactivity and majority grandstanding may effect 30 million Americans or 10% of our population.

The Associated Press: 32 Million Tax Refunds Could Be Delayed

32 Million Tax Refunds Could Be Delayed

By JIM ABRAMS – 3 days ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Silena Davis had counted on an early tax refund to pay for getting her teeth fixed. Now, because Congress has dawdled all year on a tax bill, she and millions of other early filers could have to wait extra weeks for refunds that last year averaged $2,291.

The Internal Revenue Service is looking hard at delaying the start of its filing season, set to kick off on Jan. 14, if Congress fails to pass legislation in the next two weeks. At issue is how to handle what could be a dramatic increase in the number of people facing a higher alternative minimum tax.

....

The IRS oversight board, using past agency data, said that if the start of the filing season is pushed back two weeks to Jan. 28, it would delay some 6.7 million refunds totaling $17 billion. A Feb. 18 starting date would delay 37.7 million refunds totaling $87 billion.

The report came after weeks of warnings — from President Bush, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and the IRS — about the consequences of failing to enact a temporary fix. Paulson said the 25 million returns that could be affected in 2007 would pay on average an additional $2,000 in federal income tax.

This is unacceptable from the Federal level. I don't know what's going on, but I know there has been a lot of grandstanding in Congress. This doesn't seem like something that should be a major issue of debate. A lot of people are expecting their refunds and need that money on time.

Scrum · 12-05-2007, 04:00 PM

One more reason to eliminate the Federal Income Tax.

Stylerod · 12-05-2007, 04:00 PM

I wonder if they do push the filing date back if the Government will pay interest to the people who get refunds. I mean, they expect interest from people that have to make payments to them, right?

Stylerod · 12-05-2007, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by Scrum

One more reason to eliminate the Federal Income Tax.

Thing is, I can only think of one person running for president that has that on his agenda.

David Octavius · 12-05-2007, 04:02 PM

You have a bad habit of selectivly quoting articles that back up your own beliefs and ignoring significant portions that don't. From the same article:

On Nov. 9, House Democrats pushed through a one-year "patch" to shield 21 million taxpayers from about $50 billion in higher taxes due to the AMT. The bill included an additional $30 billion in tax relief measures such as expanding the child tax credit and extending numerous about-to-expire tax breaks for education costs, small business and military personnel.

But, honoring their pledge not to pass legislation that adds to the federal deficit, Democrats voted to increase taxes by $80 billion in other areas, including for investment fund managers. Tax-adverse Republicans voted unanimously against the bill and Bush said he would veto any bill that included a tax increase.

This is as much the fault of the Republicans as the Democrats

Scrum · 12-05-2007, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I wonder if they do push the filing date back if the Government will pay interest to the people who get refunds. I mean, they expect interest from people that have to make payments to them, right?

I wish!

JaJae · 12-05-2007, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by David Octavius

You have a bad habit of selectivly quoting articles that back up your own beliefs and ignoring significant portions that don't. From the same article:

This is as much the fault of the Republicans as the Democrats

A one year "patch" to help 2/3rds of the people effected is not something that should even be considered. The raising of taxes is irrelevant beyond that.

I would vote against it, even without the increased taxes. You have over 10 million more Americans who would still be effected by this. They shouldn't play games and try to partially "patch" the problem. They should do their job and come up with a solution. Anything less is a complete disservice to the American public.

There's a reason I didn't quote it and there's a reason it's only mentioned at the very end of a very long article.

This is stuff that should have been done already. They shouldn't have waited until the very last minute as they have been on a lot of key legislation. Attempting to impose a temporary fix that not only raises taxes, but completely neglects one third of the people involved is nothing to give credit over.

David Octavius · 12-05-2007, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

A one year "patch" to help 2/3rds of the people effected is not something that should even be considered. The raising of taxes is irrelevant beyond that.

I would vote against it, even without the increased taxes. You have over 10 million more Americans who would still be effected by this. They shouldn't play games and try to partially "patch" the problem. They should do their job and come up with a solution. Anything less is a complete disservice to the American public.

There's a reason I didn't quote it and there's a reason it's over 80% down the page.

If your talking about the AMT this isn't a new problem, this has been known for years and the Republican controlled congress did nothing and they had the majority and lots of time to do something. They did nothing and THAT is a complete disservice to the American public

7960 · 12-05-2007, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

Now their inactivity and majority grandstanding may effect 30 million Americans or 10% of our population.

10% of the population is understating the problem All 300M people don't file, so the percentage is higher.

Originally Posted by Scrum

One more reason to eliminate the Federal Income Tax.

Answers like this show a different level of extreme ignorance.

Ardentfrost · 12-05-2007, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Thing is, I can only think of one person running for president that has that on his agenda.

whaaat???

EDIT: Oh, jesus, I misread your quote... I thought you said that you can think of no one with that on their agenda. I was like "have you read these forums or the internet at ALL? lol

Linzyhop · 12-05-2007, 05:17 PM

here comes the RP bandwagon......

lol.

Ardentfrost · 12-05-2007, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

here comes the RP bandwagon......

lol.

Naw, everyone knows it. I was just taken aback by what I thought I read. Surely there's been enough RP talk about the IRS and taxes to know that one

Scrum · 12-05-2007, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

Answers like this show a different level of extreme ignorance.

Please don't explain why you think it's ignorance....

RMNIXON · 12-05-2007, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Scrum

One more reason to eliminate the Federal Income Tax.

Funny how much trouble you are in if you are late. But they have no problem "withholding" more money out of your income than they are owed and will return it when they damn well please. Would it not be nice to see them rushing to the Post Office on the last day just once?

7960 · 12-05-2007, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by Scrum

Please don't explain why you think it's ignorance....

My mail was late, "One more reason to eliminate the Postal Service."
My street has a pot hole, "One more reason to eliminate the DPW."
My plane was delayed, "One more reason to eliminate the FAA."

Originally Posted by RMNIXON

But they have no problem "withholding" more money out of your income than they are owed ........

Actually they withhold too much money because it's exactly how much you told them to withhold. Don't blame them if you're too lazy to figure out how much you owe and make sure that is how much is withheld.

Ardentfrost · 12-05-2007, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

Actually they withhold too much money because it's exactly how much you told them to withhold. Don't blame them if you're too lazy to figure out how much you owe and make sure that is how much is withheld.

That'd be a lot easier if what you owed didn't change year to year. It's all based on an estimate, but I read today that a few billion in more taxes is hitting us this coming season, so if you chose exemptions to get you to EXACTLY zero, you owe shit.

Ardentfrost · 12-05-2007, 07:14 PM

by the way, last year I net owed $6 (owed $9 to federal and got $3 back from state). You want to talk about doing a good job of figuring out how much I was going to get charged?

7960 · 12-05-2007, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

by the way, last year I net owed $6 (owed $9 to federal and got $3 back from state). You want to talk about doing a good job of figuring out how much I was going to get charged?

I'm regularly off by $250 or less...either I owe or they owe me. It's not worth the time or money to get it closer than that. It's not really that hard to figure out.

Scrum · 12-05-2007, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

My mail was late, "One more reason to eliminate the Postal Service."
My street has a pot hole, "One more reason to eliminate the DPW."
My plane was delayed, "One more reason to eliminate the FAA."

I already think the IRS should disappear, hence the "one more reason".

I don't think those agencies should go away so your examples suck.