Dissing the I.R.S.

[Black Bart]

At a recent CPE seminar the sixties-aged IRS speaker complained that IRS agents nowadays "don't get no respect" and said the younger generation is mostly clueless about taxes -- they couldn't care less about his official "government man" status."

Fondly recalling the good old days when the mere mention of "IRS agent" usually made everybody within earshot perk up and pay careful attention to what was said around him, he said "Years ago we did lots of office audits (as opposed to today's mostly letter audits) and nobody wanted to mess with us."

Today's a new ballgame, he opined, citing an incident at an auto parts store -- family owned and not a chain but highly computerized and large enough that turnover of slacker employees sporting a "drop dead" attitude is similar to McDonald's. The agent maintains that speedy customer processing is now far and away more important to many merchants than quality of service (I know this to be true from the McDonald's "pay" window sign which instructs me to "Have your money ready"). Anyway the agent bought a part, paid cash, and asked the clerk for an invoice. The clerk said they didn't give tickets, but the agent insisted and was told it would be $2 more if he wanted a ticket. The agent threw a mini-fit, said he worked for IRS, that this was all highly irregular, almost certainly illegal, and what gall they had carrying on such an outrageous practice understating sales and so forth and so on, etc., etc. The non-responsive clerk, arms crossed, passive, inscrutable, drumming his fingers on the counter, simply stared at him.

When the slightly foamed-mouth agent ended his two-minute rant/lecture, the clerk inquired, "So which price do you want, cash or ticket?"

[Bees Knees]

No respect

I bet the agent took the cash price.

Tucked way back deep in my memory banks, I seem to recall reading something about the U.S. income tax system working as a voluntary reporting system ONLY if taxpayers fear the IRS and are led to believe they will catch you if you cheat. Without that fear and respect for the IRS, the system will crumble.

In recent years, we see a paradigm shift. The IRS is depending more and more on tax practitioners to police the voluntary reporting system…EIC due diligence…preparer penalties…CPE Ethics requirements…etc.

Maybe the government sees taxpayers less and less fearful of the IRS and understands that paid preparers are the way to keep the ball rolling. Old timers remember that our profession use to work for and represent our clients. IRS is turning us into government agents.

[ruthc]

No Respect!

I totally agree. There is not only little respect for the IRS, but for anyone else! This nation is going to hell in a basket really quickly. I will make this short and sweet because I know many will not agree. But when you see the President showing his disrespect to everyone that doesn't agree with him in front of the youth and young adults of today, they are going to follow in the same path as the President because he is supposed to be a role model. Our great nation will NEVER be the same. I can't imagine what this nation will be in 4 years!

[JohnH]

First the IRS turns tax preparers into pretty efficient data entry clerks.
That job's done.
They saddle return PREPARERS with responsibility & liability for FILING the return.
That job's done.
Then they shift tax preparers to favoring the government's position in gray areas via the fear of penalties.
That job's done.
Next they give themselves the power to license preparers and thus seize control of access to the profession.
That job's done
The only thing remaining is to make tax preparers uncompensated de facto auditors.
Still some work to do there, but it's under way - well over halfway done.

[Black Bart]

Funny thing

...the IRS turns tax preparers into...

The only thing remaining is to make tax preparers uncompensated de facto auditors...

The (IRS) seminar guy actually mentioned this during his lecture, which was the first time I'd ever heard any official even allude to it. Somebody in our audience had brought up the IRS due diligence "push" and and stated bluntly that he thought we (tax preparers) were effectively being coerced into doing lots of IRS' audit work for them. Surprisingly, the agent agreed saying "To a certain extent, that is true." I believe he actually felt it was to a large extent, but was playing it down a bit maybe because a second agent (young gung-ho type) was there also and the older speaker (close to retiring) probably didn't want this "Young Turk" reporting back that he wasn't supporting the "party line."

So anyway, it appears that they (IRS) fully realize what they're doing to our profession -- transforming us from adversaries into collaborators. Which, come to think of it, I believe it was super-boarder Bees Knees who posted once here saying that, in former times it was considered malpractice for a preparer to "side" with IRS against a client (something like that, anyway -- Bees?)

[JohnH]

I was taken to task on another forum for making such a silly statement. But being the thick-skinned, stubborn neanderthal that I am, I'm still standing by that statement. It also helps to have enough years behind me to reognize a trend when it's developing. This light at the end of the tunnel is definitely a train, and it's moving at light speed.

[Black Bart]

Ha-ha.

I was taken to task on another forum for making such a silly statement. But being the thick-skinned, stubborn neanderthal that I am, I'm still standing by that statement. It also helps to have enough years behind me to reognize a trend when it's developing. This light at the end of the tunnel is definitely a train, and it's moving at light speed.

Quite right John, but remember that old Clint Eastwood movie in which the city councilwoman told "Dirty Harry" (something like this) "There's a "New Order" in charge and as to those who refuse to adapt, we're going to weed out the neanderthals."

Your calendar/sequence of events seems right on the mark. I especially agree about the "filing." Although the point's moot now, it sure was easier to just hand the client two envelopes to drop in the mail and never have to think about it again, much less "track" the stuff.

[veritas]

I am in a seminar today

Looking around the room I have taken an informal survey based on hair or lack of it.

30% is gray
5% bald
60% is colored
5% is a youthful natural color

My conclusion is there won't be anyone to do our job 5 to 10 years from now.

[JohnH]

My hair keeps turning more and more gray.
Don't mind that so much; it can turn any way it wants as long as it doesn't turn loose.

[veritas]

Someone once said

My hair keeps turning more and more gray.
Don't mind that so much; it can turn any way it wants as long as it doesn't turn loose.

Gray hair is a crown of splendor.

[taxea]

Isn't it more accurate to say that it is Congress that is doing this rather than placing all the blame on the IRS?

[veritas]

I'm pretty sure

The IRS proposes and congress disposes.

[Ken]

Hey black Bart

Well I see black Bart is still on here also. Just checking in. It's been a long time since I logged onto this site. Nice to see some ofe my old buddies are still here.
I,ll be back.

[Black Bart]

Hi there,

Well I see black Bart is still on here also. Just checking in. It's been a long time since I logged onto this site. Nice to see some ofe my old buddies are still here.
I,ll be back.

"Arizona" Ken, isn't it? Nice to have you back -- there are still a few of the old crew around; "Snag" for one.

[taxea]

I told myself that if Obama got reelected I was going to sell my business and move on to other things. I sold it Wednesday. I just can't enjoy preparing taxes any longer knowing that Congress will, most likely, continue on the same "get nothing done" path for the next four years.

I am maintaining my EA and PTIN and will only be doing tax resolution from here on in.

Enjoy the upcoming season...if you can under the current circumstances....