Just when I wondered if I would ever write a post that didn't feature babies or kittens or unicorns, an issue arose.
Long story short I hope.
The IRS needed some paperwork regarding my 2009 taxes. Of course I couldn't/can't find that year anywhere, so I contacted the agencies in question and asked for copies of that years statements.
Everything arrived and I faxed it over and settled back to await the news that all questions were resolved.
I neglected to read the mortgage income statement from Chase Bank before I sent it off. And they neglected to put my name on the statement. Only Tony, my partner with whom I had originally bought the house, was listed as an owner.
I got that piece of info from the IRS yesterday so of course I immediately called Chase Home Mortgage to explain the situation.
I ended up talking to 3 different people at Chase over the past 2 days, Marvin, Josh and Alvin, they reside in Manilla, and the result is the same: only Tony's name is on the paper.
Irregardless of the fact that every statement I have received in the mail from them in previous years have both names on it, they will not send me a new one with my name listed. Even though I am liable for close to $2,000 in fines if there is no proof I am the owner. Not just an owner but since 2004 the sole owner.
I'm not asking for them to take his name off the top, just to put mine underneath his where it always was.
They say it is their policy to only list one owner and his name was listed first when they bought the loan so first it shall remain. Funny that this is the first year that they have the policy no?
It was also suggested they couldn't help me because they no longer held the loan. "But YOU sold it" I said, "it's not like I took it away from you while you were sleeping."
When I refinanced several years ago I asked if we should take his name off the loan and I was told it doesn't matter. Well it matters now. And of course it will be done stat.
The IRS, suggested I get a copy of the title and fax it to them which I will do immediately.
I'm writing this post both to let off some steam and to try and make sense out of what seems totally insane and very customer unfriendly.
I feel a bit like Alice talking to the Red Queen.
There now I've turned it into a fairytale after all.
With a couple of gratuitous kitten picture.
Cause that's how I roll.
Did I miss something? Does any of this makes sense to you?
grrrr, Jane
Did you really ask them if they thought you "took it away while they were sleeping"? Even if you didn't - that's brilliant. I'll bet they all talked about you at the bar that night.
ReplyDeleteYes and I might have suggested the reason they put T.'s name in 1st place to begin with was a matter of anatomy. But I was more precise in my language. This, of course, was after I clearly understood they weren't going to help me.
DeleteThis story sounds completely logical, considering the current climate concerning anything financial. The only way to get any help is to randomly find the lone helpful individual within an organization ... helpfulness and service is NOT company policy anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe IRS person sounds reasonable, and I'd go with it. We found a helpful IRS person two years ago when our greyhound organization was navigating the mire of our 501 (c)(3) application. Instead of firing off a form letter whenever there was a problem, our treasurer received a phone call and instructions for exactly what to do to solve the issue.
Sometimes one has to rant and blow off steam, and concentrating on kittens is a good way to come down afterward.
The IRS has been nothing but helpful. Their customer service rocks.
DeleteOh so familiar! Different subjects, same bureaucratic unhelpfulness. Asking to be transferred immediately to the Complaints Department sometimes yields results, but you may just get an answering machine.... Good that you have kittens to soothe the nettlerash though!
ReplyDeleteMy first responder, Marvin, told me there was no court of appeals. Rules were rules and there was no higher authority I could appeal to.
DeleteI was surprise he was the last word at Chase Mortgage but he insisted this was so.....
I did mention I was a blogger.
I feel your pain,I dealt with Chase Home Mortgage once. I think they sold my mortgage so they wouldn't have to deal with me anymore. Their stupidity and customer unservice is legendary. Good luck and scream your head off at them therefore removing all your frustrations from the week/month/year, they deserve it. Those kittens are scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteAnd if I still have a leetle frustration left over I can call my internet provider....always worth a scream or two.
DeleteThat all sounds dreadfully confusing but the one thing I do know is that you can never speak to anyone any more who has any authority or any knowledge and those you can speak to do not want to help you in any way possible. They tie you up in contracts that they can get out of, you can't and they don't understand that such a thing as service exists!!!!! Do you think, maybe, I might have had a similar experience!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust go enjoy those kittens! xx
This is so frustrating. I had the same problem last year when I got a bill from the IRS for $6000 after my accountant failed to properly deal with a transfer I made between retirement accounts back in 2008. Waiting for a resolution was the most frustrating thing but I did find the IRS pretty reasonable to work with. I'm sure you'll get it worked out but it does a few months off your life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kitty porn!
Shuddering after reading $6,000. Glad that got resolved. A little Grecian formula needed afterwards?
DeleteI got sick to my stomach reading this. I've had these wanting to pull out my hair and go off the grid experiences... If your name is on the title you/deed, you'll be fine ultimately, but it's so frustrating when you're talking to people who seem unable to think or reason.
ReplyDeleteHad almost the same problem selling Mother's condo. When she and step-dad divorced, she bought out the condo. I thought the lawyer was taking care of the title and loan as part of the deal. Wrong. When we finallhy got a buyer, it turned out that LEGALLY he had inherited it,and then his children when he died. I had no interest at all, yet i had done all the wwork and paid the bills. Not a prretty ezperience.
ReplyDeleteNote to women everywhere ... get your name on everything!
Glad you seem to have it solved, and thanks to the IRS for trying to help you. Xooxo
Wow Webb, what an awful story. Somebody check back with me in a week or so and make sure I stayed on track okay?
DeleteOh no, Audits are awful. I had a tax audit for my business once. They sent me a bill for 13,000$. My bookkeeper discovered the auditor had claimed my tax credit as income and I actually owed nothing....but I was scared for a few days. Hope it all works out. Scary no matter what you haven't done wrong.
ReplyDeleteNo, none of it makes sense to you. It sounds horribly frustrating. My heart goes out to you. Best of luck getting it sorted. Hang in there :)
ReplyDeleteAs they say, common sense is not very common! The kittens are so cute and photogenic!!
ReplyDeletePenny x
Ugh. I am so sorry.
ReplyDeleteThat last kitten photo is priceless.
How frustrating Jane...it drives me mad that every utility account we have...that I have set up via the phone...always seems to arrive with hubby's name either first or solely on the top...I have signed contracts for cable t.v. (for instance)...then the statement has his name on it and when I need to enquire about the service I'm told that my name is not on the account and because of bl**dy privacy issues (we've been married 31 years and everything is joint) (that means what's 'mine is mine' and 'his is ours')..they cannot discuss anything with me!!! Robx
ReplyDeletep.s. really enjoying your kitten photos...they are little darlings!
Jane,
ReplyDeleteI had the IRS send me a tax bill for $58,000.000. That's right - count the 0's. $36,000,000 in back taxes, and the rest in penalties and interest. In my call, they admitted it MUST be a mistake on their part, since there are few people in the country that pay $36,000,000 in taxes in one year - (Swiss bank accounts and Caymen island accounts take care of that.) Then a year later, Virginia came after me, because the IRS sends their messed-up info to the states, but does NOT send the straightened out stuff. Took me 2 years to get it straightened out. Good luck.