I am not making this up - You can't make this up

[BulldogTom]

OK - called into the IRS office in Fresno. Looking to make sure the IRS has the information that I sent regarding a client. After finding out that my POA was not on file (sent to Ogden UT on 2/1/10), I faxed over my original. Tax examiner was very polite and we took about 10 minutes to establish that I had standing to talk to her. No problem so far.

Then I ask if they have recieved my correspondence. Her response - our correspondence program has been down since the 4th and will not be back up until Thursday the 11th.

She then went on to add that the administrative staff is still waiting to get caught up on December correspondence. OK - I knew the IRS was backed up. So they are really backed up.

Then we start talking about my client and the information that I sent. After explaining what I sent over in my letter and the back up documentation that was with it, I swear this is what she said.

"Sir, I have a disablity that makes it hard to understand what people are telling me. Could you repeat that please?"

I couldn't make this one up. I had the phone on speaker in the office and my wife nearly lost it when she heard this. I don't mean to be insensitive to those with disablities, but there are jobs you should not be doing if you cannot understand what people are saying to you, and one of them is working as a tax examiner at the IRS taking taxpayer phone calls.

Tom

Lodi, CA

[Catherine]

No, you can't make this up.

I have right here a letter from the IRS, addressed a client c/o me, dated 1/27/10. It says:

"Dear Taxpayer:

This is in response to the inquiry of Nov. 10, 2009, from accountant [sic]. We have no record that you authorized them to act for you in this matter. Please notify them that we have replied directly to you." (yadda, yadda, send POA, blah blah).

My clients did NOT get this letter -- only me.

For reference, the POA was filed in September or October (I don't recall exactly) and I got online account transcripts at that time.

My client and I had a good chuckle over that one.

Catherine

[rfassett]

I am out of my element here (defending anything about the IRS) but I do not have a disbility that makes it hard to understand people (at least that I am aware of (or maybe I am just in denial)), but I truly dislike talking to someone on the other end that is on a speaker phone because I have a difficult time understanding them. This may have had more to do with her problem than any disability she may have. Just a thought!

[GeneInAlabama]

I too am a little hard of hearing and it is more difficult to understand when a person is using a speaker phone. I also have a problem understanding a person if they are speaking a little fast.