Certified Mail (Letters): aren't they always legal stuff (i.e. subpoenas) if you're not expecting anything?

By the way, I've done nothing illegal as far as taxes go, but I just know that if I get roped into such a battle, I will be up shit creek without a paddle, as they say.

I have actually paid taxes every single year, but just the fact that I've gone in and out of freelance employment as well as receiving unemployment benefits after 911 has me paranoid. I just feel like receiving unemployment was probably a "red flag" that I exist and a good opportunity to audit me or some shit.... I've never been audited, but I know that you're basically at their mercy w/o great legal representation. If they decide to throw heaps of bullshit at me, I really have no idea what I could do in my defense without a lawyer, even if the penalties are a mere few thousand dollars (which is about as much as they could possibly be -- $1-2,000 absolute max, I would guess-- but being flat broke, this is a lot for me).

without knowing the rules regarding proper service of legal papers in scaredy cat's state, can't say definitely. if service by mail is by itself sufficient, and the opposing party can show that it complied with the rule (i.e., by showing that they sent papers by legal service), then just not picking it up won't be enough to avoid "notice" that a suit has been brought against you. alternatively, if SC's state has a "nail and mail service" rule, then they also have to serve SC personally by leaving the legal papers at SC's residence or workplace -- and presumably since they know SC's address for mailing, they know where to serve SC -- as well as mailing the papers. either way, i doubt that by just ignoring the papers altogether than SC can evade being "notified" of any legal action.

so pick it up yer mail -- you've nothing to lose!

It's just this: my landlord, my temp agencies, and even the unemployment office send/sent stuff plain old MAIL and couldn't care less about "making sure it gets to me" or not.

The only reason people send certified mail is if they have a vested interest or else if you specify it on your order.

I'm serious when I say that no official business or company has ever sent me ANYTHING, regardless of it's importance, via certified mail-- and that includes companies who are sending me payment through the mail and companies who are sending angry requests for payment through the mail.

So, I'm paranoid!

Tad, I had a friend who SEEEERIOUSLY committed tax fraud for several years. This person has since relocated to Canada. By not answering her phone or opening her door to strangers or picking up mystery packages at the post, she successfully avoided the IRS, even when it sent her "plain old mail" threats and notifications. I used to warn this person that one day they are simply going to break down the door and take said person away, but this never happened. This person showed me specific laws that served as his protection. I must say, following these laws, this person avoided hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxes!

But, like I said, I am not commiting tax fraud in the least! However, being wise to these same laws I was informed of, I know that simply by accepting papers, you're compromising your rights, whether it's widely acknowledged or not. A common thing with the IRS is that they try to scare people and drag them into kangaroo courts where their rights are totally voided. The only defense a person has against this is in the very initial stages of the case.

If you are served with anything by the IRS, you can refuse it and then take specified steps to protect yourself, but ultimately, it's a tricky thing and probably not worth the effort (unless you plan to move to Canada).

and another thing -- if this mail is from the IRS, it's a "notice of deficiency" (or "90-day letter") and you don't pick it up within 90 days of its being mailed by the IRS (hence the name "90-day letter"), then you will have to pay the amount that the IRS says you owe, file for a claim for refund, wait till the IRS Appeals rules on the claim, and if you disagree you would appeal to either the U.S. District Court or U.S. Claims Court. whereas if you just get the letter and you dispute the amount the IRS claims you owe, you can file a petition with the U.S. Tax Court within 90 days and not have to pay anything till the Tax Court rules on your matter.

and yer friend in Canada is very lucky.

I just found this:

If the notice you received was sent by certified mail, be assured that IRS intends to pursue enforced collection action against you as specified in it. IRS will not send you any additional notices during the ensuing 30-day warning period as set out above.

Yeah, I've never been contacted by the IRS before and I haven't done anything wrong, so I can't imagine any tax situation could get to this level of seriousness, so hopefully it isn't some other weird lawsuit. Maybe it's just some official document from some company that wants to make sure I get some thing of some sort.

I still can't help feeling I'm going to jail, man. Certified letters are weird.

So approximately how big a tax bill have you been evading?

The friend I was speaking of was not George Michael, she was simply a 30-something year old woman who had never once paid taxes in her life (not ever!). This sounds pretty ballsy (and it is), but it started out with her move to NY at a very young age. She was just too broke to pay taxes and by the time she started thinking she probably should, years had already passed. She married a guy she met through the internet and therefore had a convenient reason to move to Canada. She was looking to move after 9/11 anyway.

She never seemed very worried about her tax situation. She had a robotic voice on her answering machine and never buzzed anyone in her building. That was enough to evade the IRS for over 10 years.

I know that they're meant to but I've NEVER had someone check for ID when picking up a package.

But seriously...good luck with the interview.