Read only if you love INS, interview experience Tampa

Toolongofawait

Registered Users (C)
Well, I got to my interview on time, was called in answered all the questions but.....the guy asked me for an IRS letter stating that I didn't owe any taxes. I had an installment agreement with the IRS for Tax year 2006 which I finished paying last year (I disclosed this in the N-400).

I took all transcripts (ordered last 4 years from the IRS website) and 2007 showed a refund (you don't get a refund if you owe money) and the account summary showed 0 (I was like can't you see? it says zero, null, nada, cero). Anyway, I tried to explain this to the guy (knock, knock anybody up there?, do you understand taxes? numbers? anything?) but he wants a letter SAYING (He said he doesn't want any numbers) that I do not owe any taxes, he then said go to the IRS office in Tampa, if you come back before 2:30 I'll approve the interview.

Here I go to the Tampa IRS office, to my surprise (sure) there was only one clerk with a line of 30 persons, waited an hour for her to tell me that the IRS does not issue any type of letter, that the transcript should be sufficient. At this point I was like "I had it", finally went to the Sarasota IRS office (1 hour drive) and they told me that the IRS (main office) could issue such a letter. I called them and the letter will be here in one week. Then I will send it back to my no-numbers interview officer.

Morale, get a letter that SAYS you don't owe nothing, numbers are not sufficient these days, hahahaha. Enjoy the story and smile....;)
 
Were you finished paying your tax bill when you filed the N-400? If not, how many months (or weeks or quarters or whatever) did you have left?

If you had paid it off before filing N-400, you shouldn't have said anything about the installment plan (however if the IRS transcript itself mentions it, too bad).
 
I am sorry, you had such a bad experience. But your information is great fot future interviewees.
I guess make an infopass appointment today, so you can drop off the letter as soon as you get it.
 
I was still paying when I filed the N-400, I thought about not mentioning it since I was almost sure I was going to have it paid by the interview. Oh well, can't win them all. The guy told me to mail the documents if I couldn't make 2:30 today, is it better an infopass appointment?
 
If you had any installment agreement listed then of course you would need a letter or proof stating that the tax years in question are paid off or the installment agreement is current. The fact that a refund was issued in later years is not direct proof that taxes for previous tax years are paid off. Every year is a seperate account. For them to take a refund from a current tax year and apply it to another tax year takes about 6-8 weeks. (which gives a flavor of how un-linked these accounts are) I need to get one of those letters too but I am waiting for the 6-8 weeks... I will also need one from the state in my case.

BTW, I tried to get a similar type of letter in '06 and it took a lot longer than a week. More like 6 weeks. Could you reply how you did this? Which phone number and which letter, form did you ask for?

Thanks
 
Oh god

I made plans to pay the IRS a monthly note

Does that mean they will not approve my application?
 
I called the INS Number for personal taxes 18008291040 and contacted customer service. I explained the situation to the rep and she said that she would issue a letter within 5 business days.

I agree a refund for 2007 might not show owing or not owing taxes but the account summary (different from the transcript) showed account balance of 0 for the last 5 tax periods.....then my conclusion that numbers are not good enough....anyway cheers...
 
You just need a letter that your account is current or paid off. Call the IRS and get a letter, an account summary and a transcript, might as well bring extra documents.:eek:
 
That you are current on your installment agreement or that is paid off depending on your situation. Mine will say that is paid off
 
thanks man

here is my problem

I filed an ammeddment for the 2006 taxes and i owe money

when i requested my transcripts it shows that i don't owe any money... i called the IRS and they told me that the reason it shows 0$ balance is because it takes 2 months to process the ammended taxes
so as of right now my transcripts shows zero balance.
i don't know what to do, should i mention that to the INS officer or not
 
well, if you mentioned it in the N-400 they will ask your current status for sure, just make sure that you have a documented agreement if that is the case.
 
i didn't mention it on my application caz i didn't have the ammended taxes filed at that point

I did call IRS and they said my ammended application have not been processed yet and they cann't send me anything
 
I don't think OP (and anyone else for that matter) should be surprised to have known that IO has demanded a IRS letter from the OP to know whether OP is current in his payment with IRS on his agreement/payment plan with IRS or not. I've very clearly mentioned about this in my posting on the sticky thread as to what should take to the interview. Let me quote the relevant part of my posting- "In addition, you would need to bring documentation from IRS, State or local tax office showing the current status of your repayment program".

Once interview is over, I see people often say that they were asked to show only "this and that" documents at the interview and not others, thus they "advice" people not to take other unnecessary and over-killing documents....which surprises me a lot..Why? Because it seems to me that these people are so naive in knowing that the same officer/district office wouldn't interview others so to expect the same experience.

Each officer is diiferent being an unique and individual like we all humans are. How one sees things, doesn't necessary others would see the same way. For example, some people love eating pork, beef, frog (in Japan), rat (in some parts of China), snake (in Japan), cokroach (in Thailand), etc, while other people don't eat...Similary, one officer could ask one thing, while other officer might not. Since I've been on this forum for many years, I've see only 3 cases so far out of thousands wherein IO went line-by-line on tax returns; while in other cases officers just ask if applicants have filed taxes or just ask to submit the tax returns but they didn't look at those tax returns...

Thereby, I've said very clearly that people should take ALL the documents mentioned in that particular posting of mine with them to their interview even though any or some of those documents are not asked to bring with them on the interview letter...If someone doesn't care paying attention to that posting then don't be surprise to see a denial or a delay, like what happened in this case in hand....
 
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Thats so true for many aspects of the N-400. Continuous residence being another classic example of something highly dependent upon the IO assigned to your case. Not a problem for 99% of applicants, but if you fall in the 1%, you better be prepared.
 
I agree with the above (atleast for the most part).

I took a LOT of docs, and although most were not asked, I was asked about SSS even though I was over 31 years.

Each IO is different and they focus differently.
 
Makes sense the OP had to get the letter. Most people file and pay on time and do not have installment agreements.
 
I over did it by taking too many Docs to the interview. However, None were needed. My IO at first was not able to find my Birth Certificate copy. I was able to furnish her with one , But she wss able to locate it in the end. But if i had taken my original and she had lost the copy, My case would have been delayed.
I feel it is better to be safe than sorry.
 
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Hmm, I got the IRS transcripts, just in case, but the IO didn't ask. I think he was still in shock that I brought in a moving box and when he asked what's in there I said "supporting evidence as requested by the interview letter". I think he computed German=Orderly Bookkeepers=Don't even ask and simply choose not to let me open the box at all during the interview :)
 
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