IRS Comes Knocking … for Four Cents

(CBS)  With tax season reaching its peak, the IRS is looking for every cent it's owed … literally.

A Sacramento car wash owner found that out when two representatives from the Internal Revenue Service showed up to collect four cents - four cents - in unpaid taxes.

"[They] came into the car wash, handed my manager a bill, and it was from the IRS," Aaron Zeff, the owner of Harv's Metro Car Wash, told CBS station KOVR. "The amount was four cents, four pennies."

In truth, after three years of penalties and fees, the four cents actually ballooned to more than $200, but the bill still prompted some laughter.

"This is more like a parking ticket," Zeff said.

Still, the car wash feels it doesn't owe anything. Attorney Ashley West said the IRS sent the business a letter in October indicating it had filed all required taxes and owed no money.

"It was a surprise to us that they came on site and surprise to us we didn't receive and correspondence related to it," West told KOVR.

While the situation awaits resolution, Zeff continues to have fun with his tax bill. The car wash is planning a special promotion for customers who pay their taxes on time - four-cent car washes.

[zippiez]

Proof the IRS is full of jerks and idiots.

[tsigili]

Precisely why everyone hates the IRS. They don't have an ounce of sensibility.

[run2jazz2]

Four cents? So the IRS sends agents with a bill to a business for this amount? This is simply what is wrong with government as it has gotten so large that it only exist to keep itself in jobs.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

Aren't they good? Two agents, a car, research, letters to the tax payer, creating and action against the tax payer. What is your conservative estimate of the cost to us, the other tax payers. $1,500 dollars or so?

I am in business. If one of my accounts owe me less than five dollars, I don't even send a statement. Most of my customers are repeat customers so I will get it the next time I work for them, if not I am still ahead, no office time, no postage, and no office supplies.

Common sense isn't so common in the government so I suppose the congress will have to pass another law. Don't worry about anything less than, pick a number. It won't solve the problem, the laws and rules are written so that no one ends up with any responsibility for anything

[ajvw]

another fine example of efficient government. can't wait until they take over health care.