The IRS Now Wants to Tax the $450 Maine Gave You

File this under WTF.

Maine said that the IRS is doing an about-face and now saying that the $450 Winter Energy Relief money most Mainers got WILL be taxed. According to the Portland Press Herald, 880,000 Mainers got that money to offset the insane energy prices last winter.

That money is long gone now, but last January through March, we got that sweet extra money to fill the oil tank. Now, apparently the IRS called Maine and said "Backsies!" According to the Press Herald,

The state called it a “stark reversal” from guidance published earlier this year.

Come on, IRS! Maine seems to have done their due diligence with these payments. According to the commissioner of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, the IRS said that money paid to residents "for the promotion of general welfare" wouldn't be part of what we get taxed on. They even helped Maine craft how to give out the money under an Energy Relief Payment Program.

If this were a sports game, this is exactly the time you are rude and scream booooooooo!

Maine and the media got all up in the IRS' face and they did not immediately respond to Maine’s accusations. To qualify for the money, in 2021, you had to make less than $200,000 as a married couple, $150,000 as head of household, or $100,000 as a single pringle. That's why they made checks out to 880,000 Mainers!

Maybe the IRS thought we liked them too much and they wanted to make sure we used some choice four-letter words when thinking of them. I'm into word economy, and can think of two words I'd like to say...