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Larson, Ways and Means Democrats Demand IRS Resolve All Outstanding EIP Inquiries Before the End of the Year

December 3, 2020

The Committee Members also requested IRS keep the EIP mailbox for congressional offices open through next filing season

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) joined fellow Ways and Means Democrats, led by Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), to demand that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) resolve all remaining inquiries on economic impact payments (EIPs) before the end of the year. In their letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, the lawmakers also requested that the IRS keep the EIP mailbox for congressional offices open through the end of the next filing season. The tool was created after congressional offices were inundated with requests from desperate constituents seeking a more direct pathway to IRS assistance during the COVID-19 crisis.

"Though the Committee appreciates the IRS's belated efforts to address constituent inquiries, we were very troubled to learn that, in a matter of days, the IRS will shut down the mailbox, a vital resource for congressional offices to communicate with the IRS," the Ways and Means Democrats emphasized to Commissioner Rettig. "The IRS abruptly announced that it would stop accepting new inquiries on Monday, November 30 and would cease work on all open inquiries by December 10. Constituents with unresolved issues, including non-filers, will be forced to file a 2020 tax return to claim a recovery rebate credit. For some constituents, the unresolved issues may well continue to impact their claims next year, and they will have to start over with the IRS from scratch. This is not right."

"An EIP of $1200, $2400, or more can be a lifeline for a family in severe financial distress, especially at this time of year," the lawmakers stressed. "Therefore, we urge the IRS to keep the EIP mailbox open through the end of the 2021 filing season. This not only will enable the IRS to continue addressing existing constituent inquiries and making payments through December 31, 2020 but will also allow the IRS to assist additional constituents who encounter issues when trying to claim a recovery rebate credit on their 2020 tax return."

In conclusion, the Ways and Means Democrats cautioned the IRS that: "Based on lessons that should have been learned this year, the IRS should foresee that constituents' issues will not vanish when the new filing season starts."

The full letter is available HERE.