Feb 27, 2008
{ Tax Season }
-ExcellentI hate tax season. The library is suddenly inundated with people who want free tax help.... or more specifically they want someone to DO their tax return for them for free. Never mind all the pretty signage to the effect that library staff are not trained to answer ANY tax questions. Never mind that I don't really trust myself to do my own fucking taxes (you DON'T want me doing yours.) No. Forget all that. What really pisses me off this year is the tax rebate that Bush has promised everyone. In order to get your check from the Government, you have to file a tax return. It's really simple. If you want the IRS to be able to find you, to give you your money, they have to know that you exist. But I am not allowed to answer ANY tax questions. So I keep having repeats of this:
(on telephone) "Do you have form 10 w40?"
"Ummmm. I've never heard of that one. (thinking to myself that it sounds like some sort of lubricant.) We have all of the standard state and federal forms from the IRS available in the library. If we don't have a physical copy of a form, and it is in existence, I can print any tax form off the IRS website for you for ten cents per page."
"It's not for taxes. I'm a senior citizen. I don't file taxes. They told me that I need 10 w40 to get my three hundred dollars. I don't file taxes."
"If you know what form you need I can print it for you from the IRS website here in the library."
"No I keep telling you, I don't file taxes. I just need my three hundred dollars. Is that the form I need to get my three hundred dollars?"
"I can't give any advice as to what form you need. If you know the exact form you need, I can find and print it for you. I'm not trained to give ANY tax advice. (still thinking that 10 w40 is a motor oil)"
"It's not for taxes. I'm a senior citizen. You don't have to get snippy with me missy."
"sigh"
Then there are the multitudes of people who insist that the IRS will not take a copied form. We have several binders of obscure tax forms, FROM the IRS, that patrons can make copies from. Try explaining to them why they can't take the original (PLASTICIZED!) sheet from the binder, they must make a copy.
"They won't take a copy. I need the form."
"They will take a copy. The IRS SENT US these nifty reproducible sheets for your convenience."
"I don't have any change for copies. Can you give me a quarter?"
Not really sure that this is what is meant by the phrase "your tax dollars at work." I can't wait until the end of April......
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