i was in the process of reviewing my paperwork to insure all was in order prior to filing my federal taxes. i’m glad i did and i’m angry that i did because i have found something that makes it all much worse.
it turns out that, in addition to hosing me over the entire matter to begin with, as a result of this mess, i must declare myself as having been a BUSINESS during the portion of 2007 for which i worked for this employer.
i don’t know how familiar you are with our lovely tax system, but this means that in ADDITION to my personal income tax, i must also pay corporate income tax on what they paid me.
just to review things so you understand where i’m sitting and why i am so pissed off:
(1) this company hired me as a full time employee. i sent them my W2, I9, and related documents upon hire.
(2) when i moved to this state in december (at their request, mind you), i was informed that i needed to fill out a W9 for ‘independent consultant’ payment by 1099.
(3) when i said, “er, no, you hired me as an employee.” they responded with, “no, we did not. and you need to fill this out.” making it exceedingly clear that should i choose not to, i’d be out a job. so, obviously, i did it.
(4) it turns out of course that they had not deducted ANY taxes from my payroll for August 2007 through December 2007. they “comforted me” by informing me that they would certainly be happy to move to me “full time status” effective January 1st.
thus, i am left holding the bag for five months of payroll in 2007. not only this, apparently, the only way to declare it is to also declare myself as a sole proprietorship… a business. which, naturally, means i have to also pay corporate tax as “obviously” my payroll earned for this five month period was “revenue”.
the upshot being that instead of the soaking for $536.00 that i thought i was “enjoying”, i am instead being fucked to the tune of $1736.00.
take a wild guess how happy i am at this moment.
now take a wild guess how happy i am going to be to turn my notice in to them on friday.
i have to file a request for extension and installment plans. i simply do not have the extra money laying around to hand over by the deadline of april 15th.
fortunately, my new job is a livable wage and i will be able to pay it off well before the deadlines the irs is likely to request. so it is a very temporary thing… but let’s just say that the black mark left here by the experiences with this company are very easily overwhelming the good ones experienced along the way.
when i happened to mention this to my manager/owner a week or two ago when i thought it was going to be a “mere” $536.00, he said to me (and i quote), “you should take out a loan to pay that.”
if you know me, you would be very proud to know that not only did i not explode, i actually managed not to say a word. but i could feel my blood pressure reach pluto.
oh, and best of all, apparently the state in which i now live doesn’t cut you any slack for being a part time resident beyond modifying the multiplier against which they figure how much tax you owe as a percentage of your federal net income.
you heard me. even though i have only lived in this state one month of 2007, i get the joy of paying a full year’s worth of taxes to this state. to the tune of yet another $526.00.
i suppose i should count myself lucky they aren’t going to fuck me by calling me a business, too.
stars. i’m so angry i can’t sit still. i can feel the heat rising off my body.
friday cannot possibly get here fast enough.