Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Tax Bitch

So, I've been waiting on two years worth of refunds from the IRS, not counting this last year.

See, I neglected to file the year I moved to San Francisco, filed for both years the year I got back, had a nice chunk of change due me...and it never showed up.

I asked the Tax guy about it when I went to get my shit done this year, and called two different phone numbers, navigated a labrynth-like web site, called a third number (or was it the second one again) stayed on hold for half an hour and finally spoke to someone at the IRS.

That conversation led me to believe that they had sent it to the wrong address. This is not too surprising, I moved back into my old apartment building, so I have a different apartment number than what they had on file, but the rest of the address was the same. This actually screws people up more than if the whole thing is different.

The guy on the phone wouldn't admit they had sent it to the wrong address, of course, not directly. These guys are cagey.

Anyway, he said they would have to conduct an "Investigation," and determine if the checks had been cashed. In other words, and he was quite correct, I might have been ripped off. I was told that I would be contacted in six weeks if the checks had actually been cashed and they would then start a full investigation. In other words, they were going to shake me down and see if I was trying to scam them by getting double checks.

So, obviously, I was hoping they would just cut me a couple of new checks and shut the hell up.

Which is what they did. Got 'em today.

Still waiting for this year's return, but hey, at least I'm current,

Now, the dilemma: Do I use the money to pay off a few bills, or go have a life-long dream fulfilled?

I really, really want to have someone shoot lazer beams into my eyeballs. I want my vision corrected. Hell, the last two shows I went to I knocked my own stupid glasses off of my own stupid face, and I didn't even get in the pit! Stupid Glasses! Lazer beams rule!

On the other hand, the creditors are breathing kinda heavy. There have been a couple of nice, "Pay us this much and we'll shut the hell up, " offers that look pretty good.

I might be able to a little of both, sorta. I'm really trying not to start any new debt, at all. If I take all the mony from all the returns I can pay for the eye surgery outright, with a nominal amount left over. If I pay off one of these debts, I can still get the surgery, but I'll end up owing money that will be deducted monthly from my checking account, something I hate.

I'm going to give it some thought, meditate a bit, perhaps, but I have to make a decision soon. That debt offer has a sell-by date.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any luck with contacts?

RobNoxious said...

I wore contacts for years.

If I wear the thinnest ones possible, the ones that are designed to be left in for a month, and diligently clean them daily, I look really stoned.

This wasn't so bad when I still got stoned, now it's annoying.

Anonymous said...

Beh. As party pooper as it sounds, probably should hit the debt first. If you've not done something just for you in awhile, I say fuck it and get it done.

I too dream of lasers... someday. Giving contacts another chance myself today actually but with my borderline dry eye and astigmatism in both they are usually too uncomfortable to wear. Though there is a "new and better" lense out for my condition supposedly. We'll see.