Do government employees sit around all day plotting ways to make the lives of tax payers much more difficult than they need to be?

Two recent examples:

Each year I'm required to renew my business license with the county I'm located in. $15. I've offered to pay 20 years in advance, but they refuse. I have to do it every year. Once a year the state of Missouri transmits to every county a list of those with sales tax numbers. By statute every entity with a sales tax number must have a local business license.

The local business license application/renewal requires a "No Tax Due Letter" from the state saying that there are no past due sales taxes owed. Every entity with a sales tax number either has to contact the state agency to have a letter mailed, or thanks to current technology, can log into an overly complex government website to generate and print this letter.

Stop!

The same agency that provides the list to the local government is the same agency that provides the letters to let the local government know that the tax payer is in good standing.

Why are you wasting our time? Why are you making tens of thousands of tax payers go through this process when there is an easier way? How about this. When you provide the list to the local government, note on that list who is in good standing. Maybe a star or check box next to the name? Maybe two lists? One for those in good standing and those who aren't? You have the information right there in front of you. You're already sending information to my local government. Why does every tax payer in this situation have to spend their time and energy doing something that some government schmuck could do for everybody by hitting a few buttons on a computer?

Fast forward to yesterday.

I get a nastygram from the state. I should note this is the second time I have received one of these. Going back to the 2014 tax year they couldn't help but notice that I was issued a 1099K from my bank for credit card transactions, but that I don't have a Missouri sales tax ID. They would appreciate it if I would spend a lot of my time digging through my 4 year old records, photo copying them, and proving that I did indeed pay sales tax here in Missouri.

I'm not doing that, but I was kind enough to send them an explanation for the SECOND time:

* The IRS requires that all single member LLCs use their social security numbers for tax purposes. This means that that all 1099s issued as a result of my business will have my SS number on them and not my company's EIN. Since this is a government "rule", you as the "government" should already be familiar. Especially considering I pointed this out the last time you sent me one of these letters. I'm also assuming you have heard the same thing from thousands of other business owners you have contacted for the same reason.

* The state requires that the tax ID be issued using my LLC's EIN. Combined with the above, I don't really have a choice, do I?

* I could see where this may cause confusion elsewhere, but MY NAME is in MY COMPANY's NAME, and both of "US" are at the same mailing address. Perhaps somebody, or a computer, would flag this as a possible explanation. Gee.....a company at this address is submitting sales tax to us, but an individual person there isn't! Maybe there's a clue in there somewhere.

I'm a tax paying productive member of society. I should be appreciated for contributing instead of being treated as a rented mule, especially when it comes to things that should be dealt with on the government's end and not mine.

Seems to me, the more screwed up and complex they can arrange things, the more it justifies their over paid, do less, government positions.

The more screwed up and complex they make it, the harder it is to catch them in their bullshit

Don't forget you need to do it in triplicate, and keep the pink form, however you can't remove the pink form, you need to mail the pink form in with the information but the agency won't mail it back unless you include a SSAE with your forms and a notarized letter on your letterhead requesting they mail back your copy, you need to include a notarized copy of your Corporate Resolution authorizing you to sign the form on behalf you your corporation with the original request for return.

You can keep a copy of the forms made yourself however it will not be accepted in case of loss of forms in the mail, if so you'll need to complete CO-FP3-2017-LOF as notice of LOF in order to request a new form to complete. If you do this and its before the deadline you will need to send the request on your letter head attach the Corporate Resoution, the CO-FP3-2017-LOF form, and a SSAE as well.

If you request this after the deadline a $150 late fee will apply on top of the normal $200 fee for the initial request. Payment by credit card will result in a 4% processing charge to be added to your payment, checks are accepted, no cash, debit cards have a 2% fee.

If you wish you can do this all online, just mail in the Corporate request for online access, you can request this form online once you have access to our online system.

As a gov employee, I'll tell you what I've told others. Mostly we just enforce the stupid rules...

The rules themselves were created by lawyers and your government representatives/politicians. I agree that what you are being asked to do is dumb and that the agency should make a list with your info already provided instead of making you ask for the letter.

Tell your state rep about it.

Soooo what you are saying is you may soon be hauled away to the pokey for tax evasion?

That's a pretty righteous rant. I give it an 8.4!

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Soooo what you are saying is you may soon be hauled away to the pokey for tax evasion?

Close. When this no tax due letter BS reared its head a few years ago I told the county guy that I wasn't going to waste my time getting it. I've been in business for years and years and remitted my taxes as prescribed by law. Told him that if he wanted the state to tell him I didn't owe them any money he could call them himself.

Sent him the $15 check. Told him to cash it or not cash it. Issue my yearly license or don't. He told me he'd send the Sheriff out to arrest me if I was operating without a business license. My response: OK, send out a deputy.

quote:

Tell your state rep about it.

They're too busy trying to impeach my governor to worry about silly little things like tax payer concerns.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
That's a pretty righteous rant. I give it an 8.4!

Yeah, my blood was close to boiling as I read the OP and I don't have to actually do anything. Expletives came to mind.