Virginia

[Golden Rocket]

How does ANYONE deal with the Virginia state tax people?? The aboslute worst. They do not man their telephone numbers, and even if you ever get through they kick you OUT of their telephone menus and disconnect.

They have isolated themselves from doing any work, and placed all the burden on taxpayers and their representatives.

Any ideas how to get anything done or FORCE someone to do their job??

[ChEAr$]

No idea here, but I have heard this criticism about Virginia before.

This year, if one does not take direct deposit of a refund, no paper check will be sent, rather a prepaid debit card.
And from what I've heard elsewhere, these cards are subject to usage fees. Appalling, isn't it?

[lenboush]

How does ANYONE deal with the Virginia state tax people?? The aboslute worst. They do not man their telephone numbers, and even if you ever get through they kick you OUT of their telephone menus and disconnect.

They have isolated themselves from doing any work, and placed all the burden on taxpayers and their representatives.

Any ideas how to get anything done or FORCE someone to do their job??

You may already have this infomration but, just in case, here is the number for the Virginia Tax Professional's Hotline - 1-804-367-9286.

I hope that will be of some help.

[Golden Rocket]

Daylight Shines Through the Clouds

Mr. Boush, thank you immensely. It's amazing how those guys helped, and they fully understand why everyone is frustrated
with the conventional telephone system. I'll save the number in case I need it again.

[powerage]

my first state return of the year

Had a Virginia return today, the client moved here in August. Most things did not apply to my client.

Now that I think about it, this is the first Virginia state return I've done in my 8 seasons. It is usually Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and that state up north*.

*Michigan

[Burke]

I hope you did a part-year. It's lots of fun.

[Gary2]

I'm pretty sure for at least one state that's switching to debit cards, they have a provision that clients can get the full amount off the card at certain banks (but not ATMs) with no fee. I don't remember the state or the details.

Generally, prepaid debit cards have no fees for regular usage, just ATM fees. I don't see why the state debit cards would be different. The network still gets their cut from the merchant, while the state presumably has absorbed the cost of issuing the cards.

[Snaggletooth]

State Cards

No fee if someone wants to find the issuing bank and get in a Teller line.

I'm sure the cost of issuing the card is more than compensated by the bank or the state wouldn't do it.

Vendor fees are getting worse and worse. My son opened up a retail business this year has paid over
3% of his credit card sales.

I've mentioned several times how large commercial interests and government "tag-team" the public,
and this is just another example.

[Burke]

I'm pretty sure for at least one state that's switching to debit cards, they have a provision that clients can get the full amount off the card at certain banks (but not ATMs) with no fee. I don't remember the state or the details.

Generally, prepaid debit cards have no fees for regular usage, just ATM fees. I don't see why the state debit cards would be different. The network still gets their cut from the merchant, while the state presumably has absorbed the cost of issuing the cards.

In Virginia, you are allowed one ATM cash withdrawal per month at a MoneyPass ATM anywhere in the US and one bank teller withdrawal at a MasterCard-issuing bank per month anywhere in the US. Fees apply after 6 mos and no activity, and for various and sundry other types of service on the card (that are not debit card transactions at vendors or the above.) The easiest thing to do is to withdraw the entire amt on the card in cash in one transaction at a participating bank, and then do whatever you want with it.

[Burke]

Mr. Boush, thank you immensely. It's amazing how those guys helped, and they fully understand why everyone is frustrated
with the conventional telephone system. I'll save the number in case I need it again.

PS: 4 months after written correspondence and inability to get through on the phone system, I went on the website, selected "live chat," which answered in under 30 seconds, spent some time with a very helpful representative who located lost money, solved the problem, and we were done in less than 10 minutes! Budget cuts forced the closing of local offices some years back. Before that, I never had a problem that couldn't be solved in a short visit.