Let me tell you about typos!

After 50 years of  having the first name "Kathy Lee," several years ago the IRS decided to rename me "Lathy Lee."  Year after year I made the correction on the tax forms, and year after year they sent their mail, including refund checks, to "Lathy."  Phone calls to the IRS went nowhere.  The last lady I spoke to acknowledged that she'd never met a "Lathy," it was most likely a typo (but only after I pointed out that L was right next to K on the keyboard), but she couldn't do anything -- their names came directly from the Social Security Administration.  I told her that my name was correct on my SS card -- well, maybe, said she, but she would need a letter from the SSA saying my name was really Kathy Lee.  

So, I called SSA and explained it to them.  Their response:  too bad, we have it right in our records, we sent the name correctly to the IRS, and we're not writing any letter.  But, oh, wait, according to SSA records your first name is "Kathy" and middle name "Lee."  No it's not, said I, you made a mistake, my first name is "Kathy Lee," no middle name; it's correct on my SS card.  You're wrong said the SSA (in an extremely accusatory tone), what we have on the computer trumps the card you've had for 30+ years, and we're not changing it unless you'd like to apply for a new card in person with birth certificate, etc.  And we're still not writing a letter to the IRS.  A Mexican stand-off (no ethnic slur intended).

So, there I sat at square one again.  Long story shorter, I continued to correct my name year after year on the tax forms and, magically, one year I was returned to being Kathy Lee.  As to the SSA:  Last year I happened to accompany my husband to the local SSA office.  While waiting for his request to be processed I mentioned to the lady at the desk what had happened with my first name vs. middle name issue.  How ridiculous, she said, I'll fix it for you right now.  Two minutes, all done.  Thank you.  I got a new card -- that looks exactly like the old card.

Two major resources for locating someone -- tax records and Social Security records:  two hundred years from now do you think some genealogist will ever think to look for Lathy middle name Lee?    

Kathy Lee (named for my uncle, not the general)

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html