Sunday, April 27, 2014

IRS going after old debt

Usually I don't put too much stock into what Fox News says. They tend to sensationalize and dramatize their stories. But this email from my dad isn't the first I've heard of this happening. I've seen this reported in other reputable sources. So, I'll pass it along:


Subject: IRS going AFTER OLD DEBT
 
IRS going after decades-old debts from children of debtors ‘unbelievable,’
says Megyn Kelly April 12, 2014 by Michael Dorstewitz
 
The old maxim that you can’t hold children responsible for the sins of their parents no longer applies — at least as far as Washington is concerned.

Congress quietly passed legislation in 2011 lifting the former 10-year statute of limitations on money owed to the government, allowing Uncle Sam to collect debts going back decades. The measure also allows the government to collect from debtors’ children and grandchildren, according to Fox News.

Now, “some 400,000 Americans may see their tax refund checks grabbed by the government,” Fox reported.

Former Justice Department attorney J. Christian Adams called it “classic abuse” during his Friday appearance on “The Kelly File.”

“Imagine it,” he told Fox News Host Megyn Kelly. Instead of a refund check, “you get a letter from the IRS. And it says, ’40 years ago, your parents got a disability payment that we happened to overpay. … So now we’re taking it out of your tax refund.’”

Think it can’t happen in America? Think again. Fox also reported:

A woman named Mary Grice, whose father died when she was 4 years old in 1977, leaving her mother with five children. Thirty-seven years later, the Social Security administration is claiming that it overpaid someone in her family, but it isn’t sure whom, and is going after Ms. Grice for the alleged debt.

When Megyn Kelly asked Adams what the chances are of the government dropping the debt against Grice, Adams answered, “Zero.”

“This is an administration that loves to suspend laws when they’re inconvenient and not enforce certain laws,” Adams said. “Let’s see if they do it here.”

Fox News host Greta Van Susteren took up the Grace case in her “Off the Record” comment Friday.

In no uncertain terms, she said, the government “stole” $2,996 from Grice’s tax refund for the alleged Social Security overpayment 37 years ago. But it gets even better.

“Social Security told her [Grice], they had no records explaining the debt,” Van Susteren said, comparing the matter to the State Department’s “ho-hum” response to the discovery that it had lost $8 billion in funds while Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

How to tell if you're Mom's favorite

Here's a pic from my dad where the subject line said everything:


Friday, April 25, 2014

Yep, Getting Older

Today I got some "elder humor" from my dad. The font and coloring is his. Enjoy!

An elderly gentleman.... Had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Your hearing is perfect... Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.' The gentleman replied, 'Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!' 

Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?' Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.' 'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?' 'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.'

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great.. I would recommend it very highly.' The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?' The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know.... The one that's red and has thorns.' 'Do you mean a rose?' 'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?' 

Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him. 'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.'

Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember ..... Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks. 'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?' 'Sure..' 'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks. 'No, I can remember it.' 'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?' He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.' 'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks. Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!' Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment. 'Where's my toast ?'

A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy: 

'So I hear you're getting married?'
'Yep!'
'Do I know her?'
'Nope!'
'This woman, is she good looking?'
'Not really.'
'Is she a good cook?'
'Naw, she can't cook too well.'
'Does she have lots of money?'
'Nope! Poor as a church mouse.'
'Well, then, is she good in bed?'
'I don't know.'
'Why in the world do you want to marry her then?'
'Because she can still drive!'

Three old guys are out walking. First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?' Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!' Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'

A man was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art.. It's perfect.' 'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?' 'Twelve thirty..'

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm. A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?' Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'' The doctor said, 'I didn't say that.. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'

One more. . .!
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool.. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split. The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?' 'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'