Tax Law
IRS Warns Detroit Lawyer to Pay Up—Five Cents, or Maybe a Penny
Detroit criminal defense lawyer James Howarth received an ominous warning from the Internal Revenue Service in mid-November.
The notice told Howarth that he owed five cents on his FICA account, and he better pay promptly “to avoid additional penalty and/or interest,” the Detroit Free Press reports. It was followed by a second letter advising Howarth that he would be getting a refund—of four cents—if he specifically requests it.
Howarth is unsure if he now owes one cent or if he owes nothing due to a recalculation. He tried calling an 800 number to find out, but hung up after spending “an inordinate amount of time on hold,” he told the newspaper. “And I’m sure the agent would have been delighted to have this file land on his desk.”
