Still Deceased?

Several months ago, we wrote about a request from the IRS to one of our deceased clients for an income tax return along with the related taxes. Since our client had passed about three years ago, we questioned the methods being used by the IRS in raising revenue from the departed.

In response to our letter alerting the IRS about our client’s present condition, they sent another letter, addressed to the decedent, thanking her for the recent correspondence and informing her that they “had not completed all the research necessary for a complete response but would contact her again within 45 days to let her know what action they were taking”.

While the IRS is completing 45 days of research, they have suggested to our client that, if she makes any payments, the checks should be made payable to the United States Treasury and should include her daytime telephone number. The IRS is apparently assuming that our client took some blank checks with her and has access to a phone.

In an effort to be more friendly to dead taxpayers, the IRS, unlike in their first letter, have given our client a toll-free number should she have any questions. And, of course, they “apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused you and thank you for your cooperation”.

We have advised our departed client to stay where she is and to await the results of the on-going research.