State Of Alabama Ripped Me Off

[ediddy]

I don't want to offend anyone from Alabama but that state is not business friendly. I saw a bumper sticker a few years ago that said "make getting welfare as difficult as it is to get a building permit." I know that was a joke but it is so true. Now for the rest of the story. I work with motorcycle dealers to provide insurance coverage for their customers when they buy a bike and need insurance before they leave the dealer. I am available on the weekends when most bikes are sold. I work with some dealers in Columbus, Georgia which is on the line of Alabama. When you drive through Columbus you will see almost as many Alabama tags as Georgia. So I needed to be licensed in Alabama to help those customers. I went on line an completed an application for an Alabama non resident license and paid the fee of $67.00. The next week I received an email stating that my license was approved and I could go to the Alabama Insurance Department web site and print a copy of my license. I thought, wow, these people have their act together. When I went on the web site there was a message that I must license my agency in Alabama also before I could write insurance there. The agency application was nine pages and I had to pay a fee of $127.00. I did this and after several weeks I hadn't heard anything so I called the Alabama department and got the voice mail of Antwone. He will not return your call. I finally called and asked for his supervisor. She searched and couldn't find my application but the $127.00 charge was on my credit card. She asked me to fax a copy of the agency application and she would process the agency license. Weeks went by and I didn't hear anything so I faxed her a request for the status of the application. I got a reply that all Georgia agency license applications were on hold and would not be issued until Georgia reached a reciprocity agreement with Alabama. Weeks went by and I finally got my agency license and I was relieved that all was ok now. Not. There was a memo with my agency license that stated I had 20 days to register my corporation with the secretary of state in alabama or my agency license would be suspended. I called the secretary of state and asked what I had to do to register with them. They said to go on line and complete a short application and mail it to them, with a check for $175.00. I was completing the application and there was a question that said to list the name and street address of my registered agent in Alabama. I called and asked if the registered agent would be me. They said, do you live in Alabama. I said no and they said well you can't be the registered agent. I said I don't know anyone in Alabama. They said well you can't do business in Alabama but we can fax you a list of companies that will act as your registered agent in Alabama. I got the list and guess what? I had to send them $125.00 to act as my registered agent. I got this done and thought whew, I'm glad this is over and I can now write insurance in Alabama. But guess what? A few weeks later I received a letter from the Alabama Department of Revenue that stated I had 60 days to file a business priviledge tax form and there would be no extensions. I called them and asked why I had to file a tax form when I hadn't even done any business their yet. They said it was for the priviledge of doing business in Alabama. I said OK I will complete the form but all of the questions will have a zero filled in the blank. They said we don't care as long as you pay the tax. I completed the form with zeros and the computed tax owed was zero except there is a minimum tax due of $100.00. Two days before the deadline line I mailed the tax form with a check for $100.00 and thought, I am through with this nightmare. But, guess what. A few weeks ago I received a notice from the Alabama department of revenue that I filed the tax form late and owed a $50.00 late filing fee. I thought they would by the postmark date but evidently went by the date the form was received. Even the IRs goes by the postmark date. Anyway I am through with those yahoos in Alabama and I don't see why any company would do business there. For all of you that live in Alabama I know you don't have anything to do with this and I don't want to offend you but I am burnt out with the state of Alabama.

[1BigDog]

Your middle name wouldnt happen to be "Lucky" would it??

[mini-muffin]

Wow, can't blame you at all. Talk about making you jump through hoops, and then set them on fire as your going through them.

 

Margaret

[Grey Ghost]

ediddy, just be glad that you're from Bulldog country. They really make it tough on the folks who wear orange. LOL

 

Jeff

[Eck]

Your middle name wouldnt happen to be "Lucky" would it??

 

:rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf:

 

I read your post and bust out laughing....my wife in the other room asked: Whats so funny.........I said you would have to read it...

 

Im still smiling... !

[davecb]

WELCOME to Alabama :hurts:

[BradT]

WELCOME to Alabama :hurts:

 

Is he there yet I lost count, figured there will be post #2 coming up with more money

 

Man that sucks.

 

BRad