<a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/custom/ac/bs_ac/storytext/8241729_irs_squeezes_every_penny_from_citizens_ge_pays_nothing/41013002/*http://custom.yahoo.com/taxes/article-112483-632337d9-cbfe-33bd-8366-25529f11211a-irs-mail-tax-audits-cnnmoney">mail audit</a> tapping us for an additional $708 on top of the thousands we paid in 2009. 
                <p>It galls me that General Electric and several other large corporations paid zero taxes and have no one hounding them. </p>
                <p>Perhaps I can tell the IRS bloodhounds that I've moved my profits <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/bs_ac/storytext/8241729_irs_squeezes_every_penny_from_citizens_ge_pays_nothing/41013002/SIG=14a2btt27/*http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html?_r=1&amp;sq=ge&amp;st=cse&amp;adxnnl=1&amp;scp=3&amp;adxnnlx=1302138288-sokzMylMD3WVb1+0Hf/rwQ">offshore</a>, like GE did. Or maybe I could borrow from General Electric's army of tax lawyers, certified public accountants, former Treasury officials, and former members of Congress. </p>
                <p>The president doesn't know, doesn't care, or doesn't get it.  He recently appointed GE chief executive officer <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/bs_ac/storytext/8241729_irs_squeezes_every_penny_from_citizens_ge_pays_nothing/41013002/SIG=138s44lrb/*http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-21/obama-taps-ge-s-immelt-for-economy-panel-replace-volcker.html">Jeff Immelt</a> to a presidential economic advisory council. </p>
                <p>The IRS is not out to crucify me. I didn't report $2,200 of royalty income—entirely my fault.</p>
                <p>I called my father-in-law to ask him about it—he's a tax wizard. </p>
                <p>"They want you to report it even if it's only $10."</p>
                <p>But wouldn't that create more work for the highly paid IRS representatives, I wondered. He kept laughing until I hung up on him. </p>
                <p>If the IRS charged me a flat rate of 10 percent, I'd gladly pay it—even without going through myriad home office deductions. </p>
                <p>Because of my tax crime, the IRS charged me with a $25 penalty, plus interest, plus additional tax liability. </p>
                <p>I wasn't sure which of the addresses was the right place to send the check and the 1040X and the Schedule C, so I called the IRS. Avoiding the automated messages, I pressed "0" and "0" and "0" and "0." </p>
                <p>Ultimately, I spoke to three people, each of whom gave me different information. Maybe they will be replaced by the additional <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/bs_ac/storytext/8241729_irs_squeezes_every_penny_from_citizens_ge_pays_nothing/41013002/SIG=14k9dmh74/*http://dailycaller.com/2011/02/18/why-does-america-need-4182-new-irs-workers-obama-put-it-in-his-budget-but-didnt-say-what-the-goon-squad-would-do">4,182 people</a> requested in the Obama budget proposal. </p>
                <p>In response to my questions, the reps seemed to be reading from different prepared scripts. I longed for the clarity and warmth of the automated recordings. </p>
                <p>The reps hadn't heard of depreciation, but they had memorized the <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/bs_ac/storytext/8241729_irs_squeezes_every_penny_from_citizens_ge_pays_nothing/41013002/SIG=10l58qd1n/*http://www.irs.gov/">URL</a> of the IRS. Go there, they said, it will answer all your questions. </p>
                <p>I did go there, entering a query into the search window:</p>
                <p>"When will you be sending my $708.00 back?"</p>
                <p>There was no response to that query. However, there was a handy list of paragraph and letter <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ac/bs_ac/storytext/8241729_irs_squeezes_every_penny_from_citizens_ge_pays_nothing/41013002/SIG=126oro4nu/*http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96199,00.html?portlet=1">codes</a> used in common IRS notices, useful for entertainment when you're in a catatonic state.</p>
                <p><i>Anthony Ventre is a freelance writer who has written for several weekly and daily newspapers, for Demand Studios, and for AOL Online. He is a former news director for radio station KPEN in Los Altos, Calif. He enjoys news and business writing.</i></p>
            