Millions of Taxpayers Call the IRS for Help. Two-Thirds Don't Reach Anyone

Re:Millions of Taxpayers Call the IRS for Help. Two-Thirds D... by more_corn on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @02:30PM (#40802980)

In a quintessential example of late stage capitalism you can pay a service to get you to the front of the line. They DDOS the irs phone lines and give every available slot to a paying customer. At the expense of making it impossible for normal people to get through. This behavior is not treated as illegal or abusive by the powers that be.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Millions of Taxpayers Call the IRS for Help. Two-Thirds D... by alwa on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @02:51PM (#40803231)

The last I heard, ”expediter” services game the passport offices the same way.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Millions of Taxpayers Call the IRS for Help. Two-Thirds D... by fragmede on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @02:36PM (#40803064)

Pay a service to get to the front of the line to get on a phone call with the IRS? Not to expose myself as a member of the burgoise or something, but I pay a CPA to deal with that entire problem.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Millions of Taxpayers Call the IRS for Help. Two-Thirds D... by sandwitches on Wednesday June 26, 2024 @04:09PM (#40804102)

You don't find it a little unfair that doing something the government makes you do is so Byzantine and fraught with error that there is an entire cottage industry around doing it? When the only reason it's so awful is because of policy choices largely out of our control?

What if we deliberately slowed your car down, threw our hands up because "it is what it is", and then said you could fix it by paying $500? Wow, we solved the problem!

[ Parent | on HN ]