IRS mistake leads to $300,000 bill for Oklahoma woman

IRS mistake leads to $300,000 bill for Oklahoma woman


OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An area woman is fed up after receiving a $300,000 bill for again taxes reportedly due to an IRS error.

Receiving a letter from the IRS is sufficient to ship anybody right into a tizzy. But few have had a scare like Vanessa Neal, after opening a memo final June.

“I took a deep breath,” she defined. “It was like heart palpitations. What is going on?”

Her 2019 tax return was underneath evaluation, and the IRS believed Vanessa owed almost $300,000 in again taxes.

She known as the IRS for solutions, waited on maintain for two hours, earlier than discovering this wasn’t her fault.

“[The agent] went in the system,” Vanessa famous. “He says, ‘It looks like somebody’s fat fingered it’. I’m thinking this is going to be resolved.”

In 2019, Vanessa made roughly $97,000. She tells KFOR, the IRS agent advised her it appeared an error occurred when the numbers had been typed in.

As a end result, her $97,000 revenue grew to become nearer to $970,000.

Vanessa hoped this might be taken care of shortly. She was requested to fax all pertinent paperwork from 2019, which she did on three separate events.

Four months later the IRS adopted up. A letter to Vanessa defined they wanted extra time to course of all of the information, and that she might anticipate a response inside 90 days.

But greater than a 12 months after the preliminary bill, no decision. She continued to obtain follow-up letters from the IRS that they nonetheless wanted extra time. Vanessa additionally obtained up to date payments, as the unique $300,000 accrued penalties and curiosity.

Photo goes with story
Vanessa Neal talking with In Your Corner’s Adam Snider.

Somewhat background on Vanessa Neal is necessary on this story. She presently works for Tinker Air Force Base as a finances supervisor.

During the 12 months in query, 2019, she was working in an analogous place for the US Embassy in Kuwait.

Her husband Larry is a Marine and a Desert Storm veteran.

“I took pride in representing the US in a foreign country,” she mentioned. “I met a lot of wonderful people and I was just proud to serve.”

This household, with a historical past of service and work for the nation, now continues to obtain up to date invoices from their authorities.

Her tax bill grew to greater than $315,000.

“It’s not going in the right direction,” Vanessa famous.

The IRS, like so many different authorities companies, had their day to day operations upended by COVID-19. They continue to urge patience on their website, reporting that various companies are nonetheless delayed.

A spokesperson with the IRS was unable to communicate on Vanessa’s case, however suggested that she name and arrange an in particular person appointment on the native OKC IRS workplace.

News 4 tried to arrange a doable assembly a number of occasions, however by no means made it by way of the automated answering service earlier than our name was dropped.

“I don’t know, I’m frustrated,” Vanessa mentioned, when describing her dealings with the IRS.

In her final letter from the federal government, she was requested to fax her data but once more, for a fourth time.

She tells News 4 she’s at her wit’s finish and desires assist.

“I am a law-abiding tax paying citizens, my taxes go pay their salaries too,” Vanessa mentioned. “They made a mistake.”

Some good news to finish on although! In Your Corner contacted Rep. Stephanie Bice’s workplace to see if they may assist.

It seems they bought to work shortly. Not lengthy after, Vanessa obtained an up to date letter from the IRS. Her $300,000 bill had been cancelled.

Turns out, she was really due a small refund all alongside.



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