The Letter About Nothing

Way back on March 9, I finished our taxes, courtesy of TurboTax. I submitted them electronically that night. Got an email notification that both State and Federal had been accepted. All that was left was to wait for them to process, and rake in the refunds. Yes. Now that we're retired, and spend a fortune on health insurance, we get a refund. It's usually a smooth process. That refund money is direct-deposited within a month or less.

 

REEEEEE!

 

Last week, I got a letter from the Missouri Department of Revenue! That is never something you want to see in your mailbox. Or laid on your kitchen counter by Hick, the mail-retriever. The DOR is not sending love letters. 

 

I slashed that envelope with a letter-opener. Because I am civilized, unlike The Pony, who peels the flap open raggedly where it had been glued, or Hick, who tears the END off the envelope. Heathens!

 

Inside was a formal letter explaining that the MO DOR had adjusted our 2021 Missouri Individual Income Tax Return. To review the adjustments on Page 2, and the detailed explanation of adjustments on Page 3. And that a check for the adjusted refund amount had been issued, unless the refund amount was adjusted to less than $1.00.

 

WHAT IN THE NOT-HEAVEN?????

 

TurboTax had said there were no issues. Who does the MO DOR think they are? It didn't help that Page 2 showed the same exact pension amounts I reported from the 1099-R forms, and that Page 3 was not a detailed explanation, but a page of the tax return showing the exact same amounts I'd reported. Oh, and Page 2 said: "Please send your federal return and Form(s) 1099-R."

 

Well, crap! 

I have two broken printers! How could I send a copy of my federal return without going to make copies of my federal return? I sure didn't want to be in tax trouble! Of course the letter arrived Friday afternoon. Friday evening before Hick brought it in the house. So I waited until Monday to call for clarification, and then until Tuesday, because Mondays are probably really busy.

Huh. I guess Tuesdays are really busy, too, because when I called, the recording said my wait would be 50-55 MINUTES! Of course I decided I wouldn't wait that long. Surely another time would be better. Or not... I held on the line. I did other computer things while waiting. Twice, I had to make a pit stop in the bathroom, taking my cell phone with me. You know those things listen to your every sound...

Anyhoo... after ONLY 45 minutes, I got a real person. She didn't know WHY the MO DOR would have sent me a letter. She looked it up. Still didn't know why.

"It's possible that was just sent out in error."

"Well, I need to know if I have to send in my 1099-R forms like it says. Is that required? Because it shows the exact same amount I reported, the exact same amount that is on the 1099-R forms. AND the refund amount is EXACTLY the same as the refund amount on my tax forms I submitted electronically. The only difference I see is on a couple line items, which have a different line number, but the same description of what I'm reporting, and the same amounts."

"I'd say you probably don't need to mail in those 1099-Rs. You can if you want. If it will make you feel better."

"No. I don't want to mail them. I just need to know if I'll be in any trouble if I don't."

"No. I don't know why you got that letter. It shows we made a direct deposit to your account on the 17th."

 

"WHAT? I haven't even been checking on that. So I already have my refund?"

 

"Yes. That's what it shows."

"Since it says my return has been ADJUSTED, does that mean I'll need to check anything about an AMENDED return when I do my taxes next year?"

"No. It was only an adjustment. Nothing was amended."

"Okay. That's all I need to know. Thank you."

So the horse's mouth says it doesn't know why I got that letter. Apparently, it did not hold up my refund. No wonder the phone waits are so long. The MO DOR is busy sending out unnecessary letters that have no bearing on the status of the tax returns.