Question For Anyone Who Owed Taxes This Year

[Miss_Piggy]

The instructions this year for paying taxes owed were to make the check out to the US Treasury, not the I.R.S. as in previous years.

Does anyone know what this is about? I thought this might be significant; or am I just being paranoid? :nuts:

 

[Wrngway]

This is my first year that I actually owed taxes. So I'm not sure about that. Forgive me for responding with another question, but why not pay through EFT?

 

[Miss_Piggy]

Thanks Wrngway. I think I needed to expand my thoughts more. My thinking was more Machiavellian.

I was thinking along the lines: Did the payment office change from the IRS to the US Treasury so that the current administration would have more freedom to use our tax money for other purposes than the usual ones. For example, reducing this administration’s spending totals or other nefarious reasons.

My initial research gave me an idea though: Perhaps it was because of this year’s Tax Stimulus plan. It might be easier to write the Stimulus checks if the monies went to the Treasury vs. the IRS – but I don’t think so.

 

[Sunnyskies]

They started making the change about 5 years ago. The initials I.R.S. could be easily changed to I.R. Smith, etc, and made it easy for dishonest people to change the check and make off with the money. Using the payee U.S. Treasury takes care of that problem.

Although the IRS is staffed with dedicated, honest folks, every once in a while someone tries something really stupid.

 

[Miss_Piggy]

Thanks Sunnyskies. That relieves my most recent conspiracy theory.

 

[Guest2]

Hold it guys ! Wait up ! I'm still looking up "Machiavellian". :cheesy:

 

[Jackbnimble]

The second part of Sunnies answer is :
I also think they figured people would feel a little more warm and fuzzy making the check out to Treasury instead of the KGB.