IRS Hitman reality (really?) show

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IRS Hitman reality (really?) show

Sunday, May 23, 2010

I know I should check my e-mail more often, if for nothing else great "what the ..." chuckles like this press release touting a beat-the-IRS "Reality Drama" it says is a cross between "Intervention" and "Extreme Home Make Over."

The hook this time is a "real life Ex- IRS agent, who one day realized he could no longer be apart of an organization that destroyed people's lives; that it was time to become the IRS (+) Hitman for the American People."

Since it is a prospective TV show, let's go to the video:

Awright! A family band of brothers (can you say post-adolescent wannabe Jonas boys?), a black motorcycle, a bluesy harmonica track under the bike's roar, sound bites of perceived IRS audit atrocities. Classic television!

Who could ask for more ... except maybe a runaway weather balloon?

The e-mail message I got noted that the show is seeking more narcissists taxpayers who need the IRS Hitman's self-promotion publicity help. If you're interested, the show's website has a casting link -- which, by referring to folks facing tax trouble as "cast members" rather than "clients" is a clue, to me anyway, as to what's important here.

However, if you really are in a tough spot with the IRS, I suggest you find a tax professional who doesn't want head shots along with your tax paperwork.

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Posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 01:49 PM in IRS, Taxes, Television | Permalink | Comments (3)

Tags: IRS, IRS Hitman, tax debt, television

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I appreciate truth, but it seems that this show is nothing more than helping people to live under IRS fear a little more comfortably. I don't think "The IRS Hitman" has really had a change of heart, just a change of career. If he did he would be helping people be free from the fear, not submitting to it.

Fear makes people do insane and irrational things to cope/adapt to it. Such as ignore logic or reality.

If you want to see an example of this try asking a simple question like "what law makes the average US citizen liable to file a tax return and pay an income tax?" To many people this question is to be avoided/dodged/skirted etc at all costs as attempting to answer this question causes the fear in them to spike and they aren't capable of coping with that fear. So instaed of dealing with the question they would rather ignore/dodge it or make attacks of the messenger delivering the question.

The answer to this question? If you go look for yourself you won't find any such law, but for most people that doesn't matter. Fear is what matters and that is what decides for them.

I said that I appreciate truth, most people don't, unless it gets them what they want, and equally if believing a lie gets them what they want they go with that. Which group do you choose to be in?

Posted by: Abraham Clark | Wednesday, June 09, 2010 at 01:05 PM

While I find the concept interesting in light of what happened in Austin I'm not comfortable with the title.

Posted by: Toni McIntyre, CPA, E. A. | Monday, May 24, 2010 at 09:36 AM

As the Producer & co creator of the IRS Hitman, I’d like to offer you a bit more information. First of all, I'm certain we never touted the show as... "beat the IRS."

A "casting cal" was sent out, looking for people (not clients) with real IRS tax problems and interested in being in a new reality tv show. The response was overwhelming. I was shocked by so many people in trouble with the country’s largest collection agency called the IRS.

There are no “actors” in the show, and no made up stories. The lives the IRS Hitman has gone on to help are real, & actual IRS cases. No Reenactments. These are actual people in peril of financial disaster. Tough to make that up.
So...
Tune in on Sunday, June 6 and be prepare to be surprised.

Don Campbell
Producer
Reality TV with A Bullet:
The IRS (+) Hitman
irs-hitman.com

Posted by: don campbell | Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 06:15 PM

The comments to this entry are closed.

Today's Tax Tip

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Unemployment rates have dropped and many workers have had success this year negotiating better deals. Continued options to work from home are among the wishes of many employees. But take note that such hybrid arrangements — some days working from home, others at the office — could produce tax complications for workers. One of them is the unwelcome realization that as employees, a home office is not tax deductible.

Sept. 11: If your job is as a server at a restaurant or at any other establishment where gratuities from customers are part of your compensation, I hope you got lots of financial thanks for doing your job well. Remember, though, that those tips taxable income

Whether you're dining in or, still COVID leery and getting food delivered to your home, if a tip isn't included on your restaurant or delivery bill, click the image above to calculate how much to tip the person who brought it to you.

And if you got at least $20 in gratuities in August for doing a good job as a food server or hair stylist or parking valet or whatever job where tipping is common, you must report that amount by today. Use Form 4070 to let your employer know the total tips you took in last month.

Sept. 15: It's Tax Day if you're among the millions who must pay estimated taxes. The amount for earnings in June, July, and August that weren't subject to withholding is due. Some estimated tax payers, however, do get more time to make this third quarter payment, but the reason is not one any of would want. Their deadline is delayed because they live in major disaster areas.

Sept. 23: The Autumnal Equinox arrives today at 2:50 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the first day of Fall for all us who don't follow the meteorological fall calendar. Adjust for your time zone, since the equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide. It's also a go-to day to think about home maintenance that will help you weather the coming colder weather. The Inflation Relief Act includes extension of older and addition of new energy-related tax breaks, including some for residential improvements.

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The easiest way to file any time of the year is electronically. And if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $73,000 or less, regardless of your filing status, check out Free File, the online preparation and electronic filing web page for eligible taxpayers created by the IRS' partnership with the Free File Alliance. It's still operational.

This year, you can select from seven tax prep companies participating in Free File so that you can, as the name says, prepare and e-file your return at no cost.

Small Business Tax Calendar: Important filing, deposit and record keeping dates throughout the year that your company needs to know. You can get more tax calendar information at the IRS' online calendar page and view the full year's important business and individual tax dates in IRS Pub. 509.

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Tell it to the Hill

While it's easy to rail at the IRS, for the most part we can thank — or blame — our tax laws on Congress and the White House. So if you have an issue with tax legislation or want a tax bill passed, you need to let your federal legislators and the White House occupant know of your concerns. You can find out who in Washington, D.C., to contact (and how), as well as get information on your local lawmakers for matters, tax or otherwise, closer to home, at USA Gov.

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