My yearly correspondence with good old Uncle Sam (standard:Inspirational stories, 946 words)
Author: Godspenman	Added: Apr 11 2011	Views/Reads: 3227/1730	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
April 15th is the time of the year when American citizens can communicate with their government. I cannot testify for anyone else, but I look forward to this marvelous opportunity, and I am careful not to waste it. This year, for example, so much has happ

April 15th is the time of the year when American citizens can
communicate with their government. I cannot testify for anyone else, 
but I look forward to this marvelous opportunity, and I am careful not 
to waste it. This year, for example, so much has happened since last 
year it took 15 single spaced typed pages to include everything. 

However, to be perfectly honest (and who's perfect), I am a little
disappointed. All the years I have included a personal letter including 
a SASE with my tax returns, I have yet to get a personal letter in 
return. I am beginning to think this is a one way relationship and it 
would not take much for me to quit this correspondence entirely. Then 
what would my government think? How would they know what I've been up 
to all year long? 

I am not one to complain (unless my wife is not around), but filling out
my income tax return seems to be getting more complicated each year. 
When I familiarize myself with the rules for one year, someone changes 
them the next year. What could not be deducted last year can be this 
year; and what was deductible last year I must pay twice. Why can't 
someone in the government make up my mind and quit all this unnecessary 
fluctuation? 

On April 16, each year, our government immediately destroys the tax
rulebooks to keep them from falling into the hands of a foreign power. 
By "foreign," I mean Canada. 

Heaven help us if our neighbor north of the border ever got their hands
on this information. Canadians are not usually known for their jollity, 
but once they see these books, the entire country would break out into 
uncontrollable laughter. Who knows what this would do to the delicate 
relationship now existing between the two countries. 

Because of this important precaution, they need new tax law books each
year. 

Right after the Christmas & New Year's parties, someone in the Internal
Revenue office asks his assistant to "bring me those tax books." When 
they inform him that there are no books this same person (which shall 
remain nameless for obvious reason) says to his assistant, "Bob, write 
me a new tax law book for this year and have it on my desk by 5:00." 

This sets the wheels of government to whirling and by golly, by 5:00,
that new tax law book is on the desk. This is one reason the tax laws 
from one year are so different from the next. Then the assistant 
responsible for this is fired and a new one hired. The only requirement 
for the assistant is that his name must be "Bob." 

I wish one year Bob would call me. It seems he has overlooked many
legitimate deductions every year. I would like to submit some 
recommendations for consideration. 

First, I am not too happy with this April 15th deadline. I feel it is
much too restrictive and rigid. What is so special about April 15 that 
our government should have such an apprehension about me missing this 
deadline? What is wrong with June 15? Or, September 22, for that 
matter? I believe the Internal Revenue Service should be more 
understanding and practice a nonjudgmental attitude. After all, this is 
a new millennium calling for a new attitude on this whole business of 
taxes. They ought to trust me to send in my taxes whenever I'm ready, 
or remember. 

There are some deductions I have never seen on the forms I have filled
out and I have always wondered why. Let me list some: 

Grandchildren   have never been listed as a legitimate deduction. Does
the IRS know just how expensive grandchildren are? My jellybean budget 
alone could finance a small third world country! 

Vacation   is another item overlooked. Does the IRS think I am taking a
vacation just for my health? Oh, yea. I guess am. Well, my health is 
important. Every dollar I spend on vacation should be deducted from my 
income, which would take a lot of stress off my next vacation, not to 
mention more money. 

Presents   do not tell me Christmas and Birthday presents are not


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