Taxes..... AGAIN?

Back at the end of February, I told y'all about finishing up my taxes and filing the FAFSA . I made sure I did it almost as soon as I could get everything together because I knew we were working under dealines for Student Financial Aid and I didn't want to screw anything up.

So, I mailed the taxes, including that check for $755, well before this year's tax filing deadline on April 17. It was a tad bit painful as $755 is a LOT of money to me, but I owed, AND I totally get the fact that they are going to give money for student aid to people that currently owe them money. I was a bit nervous about everything going according to plan this year since this is the first time I've got another deadline, but I kept an eye on my bank account and breathed a sigh of relief when my check cleared the bank on March 21.

That sigh of relief was premature. My daughter's school to be has just now started processing the FAFSAs and we got an email yesterday outlining some stuff they needed. I called the financial aid office and talked to someone who was EXTREMELY helpful and found out what I needed. One of those things was a Federal Tax Transcript. She told me how to get it from the IRS, so I called the number she gave me. I went through the automated system and it told me it was not available. So I tried the website. Still not available. Being a bit slow, and thinking I may have punched in my SS# wrong, I tried the phone and web another time each. Still nothing. So, I tried getting a person.

FORTY EIGHT minutes later, I finally get a human being who, fortunately, tried to be very helpful. The problem was, the IRS had NO RECORD of my return. They had record of my money, but no record of the return whatsoever. The check had been cashed but my return had gone into never never land. WHAT? I have a few options, I can refile, electronically and hope it processes fast enough for me to meet the deadlines, I can refile by mail, in which case, I'm almost certain to miss the deadlines. And then my Big Sis talked to a tax accountant friend who suggested I go to the nearest IRS service office for assistance.

So that is what I am doing today.... taking myself to the IRS to beg for help. Wish me luck!!!!