How to find a lawyer

[altasnob]

As others have said, you'll pay more for an attorney than you will recover, with no guarantee of winning. Why don't you just sue them yourself? Tons of people in prison do it, sometimes successfully. A suit against the VA would be in federal court. Go down to the federal courthouse and see if they have a law library there to help you out. Or just post your summons and complaint here for advice. Even if you fuck it up, the VA will still have to appoint an attorney to respond to your case. So you will get to speak to an attorney rather than sit on hold all day. If you have a paper trail that clearly shows you are in the right, I don't see the harm.

I am also confused about your case. To garnish a debt from someone requires notice, some form of a hearing in front of a judge or hearing examiner, and the right to appeal. Did you not receive this notice? You can always do a Freedom of Information Act Request for your entire case file, but that could take months to get a response.

[LongShortLong]

It's almost like hamstringing our government agencies in the name of "small government" has an effect on their ability to provide customer service.

Yep. IRS has too few agents. A few years ago US Treasury sent me a check (that happened to match my tax payment) because IRS hadn't figured out I owed it. Months later IRS got around to opening my return and sent a bill for overdue tax and penalties. My time and more IRS time was wasted because they don't have enough staff to do it right the first time.

[Buzzworthy]

As others have said, you'll pay more for an attorney than you will recover, with no guarantee of winning. Why don't you just sue them yourself? Tons of people in prison do it, sometimes successfully. A suit against the VA would be in federal court. Go down to the federal courthouse and see if they have a law library there to help you out. Or just post your summons and complaint here for advice. Even if you fuck it up, the VA will still have to appoint an attorney to respond to your case. So you will get to speak to an attorney rather than sit on hold all day. If you have a paper trail that clearly shows you are in the right, I don't see the harm.

I am also confused about your case. To garnish a debt from someone requires notice, some form of a hearing in front of a judge or hearing examiner, and the right to appeal. Did you not receive this notice? You can always do a Freedom of Information Act Request for your entire case file, but that could take months to get a response.

I don’t know shit about lawyer stuff, hence this thread. But the sound of making the VA pony up for a lawyer and I get to waste their time sounds fantastic.

That’s what I thought about said “garnishing” of debt but via the federal route the IRS comes in to play the bad guy without hesitation. Since I don’t actually owe anyone anything and have the paper trail saying so I’m left scratching my head.

I just need to talk to someone at the VA and can’t get even that little bit of info. It’s fucking ridiculous. Any other company on earth doing business this way would be bankrupt and no longer exist.


“The US Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Ficscal Service applied all or part of your payment to delinquent debt you owe to the SLC VA. This action is authorized by federal law. Below is your payment info:
Payment From: IRS
Date
Payment type: Check
Payment Amount: $xxxx.xx
TOP Case number: xxxxx

So yeah, they just take your money and that’s that.
Called the Treasury Offset Program number and it routes me to the VA. The damn VA is the fucking problem here. Incompetent when I worked for them and even more incompetent now.

[altasnob]

It says you can write instead of call. I would do both:

"If you want to write to us about your debt instead of calling, send your letter to this address:

U.S. Department of the Treasury
P.O. Box 830794
Birmingham, AL 35283-0794"

"To ask for proof that you owe the debt, call 888-826-3127 and talk to a debt recovery analyst. We will get the documents about your debt from the agency to which you owe the debt. We will then send the documents to you."

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/dms/...al-public.html

[Buzzworthy]

It says you can write instead of call. I would do both:

"If you want to write to us about your debt instead of calling, send your letter to this address:

U.S. Department of the Treasury
P.O. Box 830794
Birmingham, AL 35283-0794"

"To ask for proof that you owe the debt, call 888-826-3127 and talk to a debt recovery analyst. We will get the documents about your debt from the agency to which you owe the debt. We will then send the documents to you."

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/dms/...al-public.html

I called this Treasury number earlier today and when they looked up the issue (I have an official account number), they said oh, we can’t help you. Please call the SLC VA directly at 866.xxx.xxxx. I call that number and nobody answers it all day long.

I don’t need any documentation. I have it all currently.
What I need is a live body to look at the computer system and say yep, I see the issue here. Let me fix this.

I have tracked down an old employee there in payroll and sent her all documentation now. Hoping tomorrow my blood pressure will go down after I get some answers but of course I’m kidding myself as that would just be too easy.

[altasnob]

Go down to the SLC VA in person

[Buzzworthy]

Go down to the SLC VA in person

If I get nowhere tomorrow that is the plan for Wednesday. A lot of the staff there gets to telework so even that can turn out to be a crapshoot. They might be on their couch just moving their mouse around to show as active. Not that I know anything about that lol.

[TNKen]

I've never tried this but it might be worth contacting your US Congressman's office for help. Unless the amount is huge it's hard to imagine a lawyer fixing this for less than the IRS is stealing..

Best and cheapest advice in this thread. Call your congressman's office ASAP.

I often try to help clients by pointing them in the direction of self-help. Most private individuals can't afford attorney rates these days.

[Buzzworthy]

Best and cheapest advice in this thread. Call your congressman's office ASAP.

I often try to help clients by pointing them in the direction of self-help. Most private individuals can't afford attorney rates these days.

I'm sorry but I laughed hard when I looked up the jokers here that "represent" me.

Blake Moore (R), 1st District.
Chris Stewart (R), 2nd District.
John Curtis (R), 3rd District.
Burgess Owens (R), 4th District.

This will be a last ditch effort as I know 3 of these guys won't do a damn thing to help anyone in Utah.

Got a hold of a live person at the VA and the name of someone that is looking into the email blast I sent them with all of my paperwork trail, including the Director of the VA. I got someone's attention at least.

[Timberridge]

I used tinder to find my lawyer. YMMV.

This sounds like a fastfred move.
Well executed, sir.

If Big Steve were still here and not fucking around looking for birds, he'd have this taken care of by page 3.

[dunfree]

I'm sorry but I laughed hard when I looked up the jokers here that "represent" me.

Blake Moore (R), 1st District.
Chris Stewart (R), 2nd District.
John Curtis (R), 3rd District.
Burgess Owens (R), 4th District.

This will be a last ditch effort as I know 3 of these guys won't do a damn thing to help anyone in Utah.

Got a hold of a live person at the VA and the name of someone that is looking into the email blast I sent them with all of my paperwork trail, including the Director of the VA. I got someone's attention at least.

some of the sleaziest, scummiest, grandstandingest politicians in DC get regularly re-elected because they provide constituent services - not because they give a fuck about anyone who lives there

[zion zig zag]

I'm sorry but I laughed hard when I looked up the jokers here that "represent" me.

Blake Moore (R), 1st District.
Chris Stewart (R), 2nd District.
John Curtis (R), 3rd District.
Burgess Owens (R), 4th District.

This will be a last ditch effort as I know 3 of these guys won't do a damn thing to help anyone in Utah.

Got a hold of a live person at the VA and the name of someone that is looking into the email blast I sent them with all of my paperwork trail, including the Director of the VA. I got someone's attention at least.

I needed expedited passport help and reached out to Mike Lee and got a response within 72 hours.

[exsparky]

Best and cheapest advice in this thread. Call your congressman's office ASAP.

I often try to help clients by pointing them in the direction of self-help. Most private individuals can't afford attorney rates these days.

X3 now, I like this method too.

Lets say you make $10k a month, this is a two week check so they want $5k? I don't see you getting an attorney to fix this for an amount that makes the residual worth the fight. And I love to fight people in court.

I got a check from the IRS once for $96k, I was supposed to get $45k. My CPA told me to cash it. I held it for 45 days and then put it into something illiquid so I wouldn't spend it. Then I get a letter wanting $62k back for a readjustment of my taxes from 3 years ago, plus interest.

Sometimes this stuff is just a trap to get more money out of you. Its not worth fighting the government unless its big money.

Colorado has sent me letters saying I owe $5k for no reason. I have responded to those and had them dismissed but you are suffering from the Golden Rule. They have your gold and they make the rules.

[Buzzworthy]

Its not worth fighting the government unless its big money.

This struck me as almost funny. Why would I not fight (anyone) that took my money internationally over a mistake?

I highly doubt you’d just say “yep, there goes a few thousand but hey it the government and they are huge and powerful so oh well….”

[riser4]

X3 now, I like this method too.

Lets say you make $10k a month, this is a two week check so they want $5k? I don't see you getting an attorney to fix this for an amount that makes the residual worth the fight. And I love to fight people in court.

I got a check from the IRS once for $96k, I was supposed to get $45k. My CPA told me to cash it. I held it for 45 days and then put it into something illiquid so I wouldn't spend it. Then I get a letter wanting $62k back for a readjustment of my taxes from 3 years ago, plus interest.

Sometimes this stuff is just a trap to get more money out of you. Its not worth fighting the government unless its big money.

Colorado has sent me letters saying I owe $5k for no reason. I have responded to those and had them dismissed but you are suffering from the Golden Rule. They have your gold and they make the rules.

Hopefully you made a few cents interest along the way, at least enough for the postage.

[Cono Este]

I paid my Cpa $1500 to make my Houston lien, where I e never worked or fucking lived, go away.

$1500 bucks to fix a govt clerical error. I kept calling the shit bag collection attorney the city uses demanding an apology.

If it’s one pay check, move on dude. Not worth the aggravation. Just remember the next time you vote.

[m2711c]

This struck me as almost funny. Why would I not fight (anyone) that took my money internationally over a mistake?

I highly doubt you’d just say “yep, there goes a few thousand but hey it the government and they are huge and powerful so oh well….”

I hate it when people take my money internationally… how the fuck am I supposed to keep my cash down on the farm after that shit done seen Paris?

[Buzzworthy]

If it’s one pay check, move on dude. Not worth the aggravation. Just remember the next time you vote.

Maybe I shouldn’t say what my wife just said when I mentioned this advice from you.

I’d love to be as rich as you guys.

[Danno]

Just remember the next time you vote.

Based on your posting history, I think I know what you meant by this, but how could he possibly attribute this to a particular politician or party?

[skaredshtles]

I hate it when people take my money internationally… how the fuck am I supposed to keep my cash down on the farm after that shit done seen Paris?

[GuyonaBuffalo]

Finding a good lawyer can be a daunting task. Different lawyers specialize in different areas of law. For instance, if you need a lawyer for a personal injury case, you would search for a personal injury lawyer. If you need a divorce lawyer, you would look for a family law attorney who specializes in divorce. Look up the lawyer's name online and read reviews from previous clients. Check the lawyer's educational background, professional experience, and certifications.

[Buzzworthy]

Had to talk with Legal at VA Central Office, Accounting at VA Central Office and finally after weeks of back and forth they agreed they made a large mistake and took corrective action.

Money landed in my account this morning and I can now try to lower my general blood pressure.

[californiagrown]

This sounds like a fastfred move.
Well executed, sir.

Tinder was my one-stop-shop back in the day (and its heyday). I found my realtor, lawyer, a career mentor, and even my dentists office through that app. Ahhh the good ol days.

[MarsB]

Fuck yeah, man! Great news!!