The damned California department of taxation

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Let's leave aside that, by design, they make it so that it's almost impossible to withhold enough taxes from your paycheck so that you get a refund from them on any given year.

Here's my beef:

A year ago, they let me pay my taxes with a credit card by phone.

A YEAR LATER they have decided I never paid the taxes, and want me to prove the phone transaction took place, or I'll be assessed huge late fees. Now, it's been a YEAR. A year for them to say "hey, it's August -- I don't think this guy's paying." A year in which, at any time, they could have sent me a letter saying "hmmm, we cleared the sandwich wrappers off the desk and we don't see your transaction receipt anywhere."

So on Saturday, I get to argue with my two credit card companies and get them to look through several months' worth of transactions, looking for the state of California as a payee.

Forget the actual tax rates here, between these schmucks and the amazingly inept DMV here (it's a sad commentary that I've been to third world countries that were faster, more efficient and accurate than the CA DMV), I would be so damn happy to leave this damn state.
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[Miuu Miuu]

[Vyria]

[insert overplayed Schwarzenegger joke here]

This is pretty much entirely their fault but you're gonna have to prepare for the worst. You should always document every financial transaction in any way you can. If they let you pay by phone they should have recorded the call or at the very least sent you a receipt but knowing how incompetant government is I wouldn't feel comfortable assuming that they'd take care of their own business.

I hope you make it through this ok.
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Vyria - Katbus

[ZigonZagoff]

I have a friend that tried to get a driver's license in Arizona. It shows an outstanding $100 ticket on her Conneticut license so she can't get a license here. But in the mean time she has had a license in Wisconsin for the last 8 years. Their solution is for her to pay the fine which she is sure that she has paid. Even the federal government only wants records back 7 years (unless you are being auditted).

[Gryfndor]

I would have to say that I think DMV's in general are among the worst run organizations I've have ever seen. Slow ass people plodding along who obviously have no impetous to give prompt quality service. Its Beauracracy at is best. I highly recomend using Quicken or Money to take care of all your banking. I pay my bills online I get instant feedback from my account whatever the activity might be and I can search prior records quickly to find checks debit credit transactions. I personally love never having to balance my checkbook but most of all never filling out checks never filling out envelopes never buying or afixing stamps to said envelopes oh and no licking of envelopes /yuck
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Gryfndor 65 Wizard
Epiphone 65 Necromancer
Niche 57 Enchanter
Farzy 51 rogue
Nasgul 29 Shadownight

[Lillishiana]

your friend is no longer liable for something that happned 8 years ago unless the DMV contacted her prior. Statued of limitations is 7 years, and thats why the goverenment requires you to hold on for 7years to your paperwork, (which was changed in FY99 by the way to 5 years for your taxes.) Sorry whiz.. but they have ya. Should have held on to your credit card receipts. =( But you should be able to request statments going back to that date from your credit card company. thats all they will need as proof that you paid.