Late this past Friday afternoon, I received a disturbing telephone call from a long-time client. There were two IRS Revenue Officers at his home, wanting to talk to him about his delinquent tax liabilities.
I was incensed. Why was I not contacted? I have a valid power of attorney on file, and had not previously been contacted by these officers, or anyone else from the IRS regarding this.
I insisted on speaking with one of the agents, who was relatively cordial (according to my client, his menacing attitude changed dramatically after he told him he was calling his lawyer). The Revenue Officer’s explanation? I needed to update my power of attorney, “to cover through 2020 or 2025.” What?
I happen to know that this client had no unpaid tax liability for the most recent filed year. That was, simply put, some hot bullcrap.
Earlier last week, I was myself visited by two Revenue Officers at my office regarding a client – completely unannounced, drop-in. I spoke to them briefly, and strongly suggested that next time they should make an appointment with me, and I would be more than happy to discuss these matters with them for as long as they needed my attention. That’s my job.
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