Today, Ways and Means Democrats requested that Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig provide the Committee with an update on the impact of the coronavirus on the tax return filing season. Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and every Democrat who serves on the Ways and Means Committee signed the letter.
“Specifically, we are concerned about the ability of the IRS to provide taxpayer assistance and process returns, as well as the ability of taxpayers, free tax preparation sites, and tax professionals to meet the filing deadline,” wrote the members. They also pointed out that “the IRS has authority to extend the time for filing any return for six months or less and the authority to waive certain penalties upon a showing of reasonable cause.”
In addition to requesting an evaluation of whether the April 15 filing deadline needs to be extended this year, the Democrats asked Commissioner Rettig to consider the need for relief from certain filing and payment penalties for taxpayers and communities affected by coronavirus.
Full text of the letter is available below and here.
March 10, 2020
The Honorable Charles P. Rettig
Commissioner
Internal Revenue Service
1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20220
Dear Commissioner Rettig,
We are writing to request that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) update the Committee on Ways and Means (Committee) on the impact of the coronavirus on the tax return filing season.
Specifically, we are concerned about the ability of the IRS to provide taxpayer assistance and process returns, as well as the ability of taxpayers, free tax preparation sites, and tax professionals to meet the filing deadline. Under the Internal Revenue Code, the IRS has authority to extend the time for filing any return for six months or less and the authority to waive certain penalties upon a showing of reasonable cause.
We request your continued evaluation of whether there is any need to extend the tax filing season this year beyond the April 15th deadline. Further, we are hopeful that the IRS will consider the need for relief from certain filing and payment penalties for taxpayers and communities impacted by COVID-19.
As always, the Committee is available to assist the IRS as needed. We remain hopeful that the filing season continues to run smoothly. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
