Rubio, Senate Republicans Urge IRS to Provide Maximum Taxpayer Support During Difficult Filing Season

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Republican colleagues in urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to do everything it can to support taxpayers during the current tax filing season. In a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, the senators expressed concern with the agency's ongoing delays and lack of responsiveness, and pressed the agency to provide taxpayers with targeted, temporary relief during what is widely believed to be one of the most challenging and frustrating filing seasons in recent memory. The senators identify many of the challenges their constituents face, and recommend areas where the IRS could use its existing authority to offer meaningful relief to taxpayers.

Click here for a full list of senators who signed the letter.

"[W]e continue to hear from constituents who have not yet had their paper and amended returns processed, and due to a lack of information on IRS processing dates and timelines, do not know if their returns ever made it to the IRS or if they should re-file." the senators wrote. "Other taxpayers are waiting for their tax refund, some related to their 2019 tax return. This situation is untenable. When our constituents cannot get help from those tasked to administer our tax laws, it diminishes the integrity of our voluntary tax system."

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) endorsed the senators' recommendations: "The AICPA is pleased to support members in their calls for the IRS to take specific action to mitigate the anticipated challenges of the current tax filing season," said AICPA Vice President of Taxation, Edward Karl, CPA, CGMA. "We wish to highlight the recommendation to modify the complex and confusing implementation of Schedules K-2 and K-3 by delaying until next tax year. AICPA members are already concerned about IRS backlogs and diminished services so delaying the implementation of Schedules K-2 and K-3 will help IRS focus on mitigating the problems at hand."

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