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WSCPA Applauds Lawmakers for Signing Bipartisan Letter Calling for Taxpayer and Tax Preparer Relief from the IRS

February 02, 2022

by WSCPA

The Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants (WSCPA) applauds the seven members of the Washington Congressional delegation who joined hundreds of their colleagues in signing a bipartisan letter to the Treasury Department urging it to improve this year’s tax filing season process. 

The letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Yellen and IRS Commissioner Rettig asked the Treasury Department to provide immediate relief for taxpayers and tax practitioners by reducing the need to contact the IRS. The letter was written in response to the Treasury’s recent statement that the upcoming filing season would not be an improvement over last year.

WSCPA leaders and staff met virtually with most of the Washington delegation in the fall and stressed the need for Congress to ensure the IRS adopt several recommendations to offer immediate filing relief. All the members of the delegation have said that they have been receiving overwhelming complaints from their constituents.

The launch of income tax filing season last week comes as taxpayers and preparers are already feeling frustration with the IRS over unprocessed prior year returns and unanswered correspondence. The letter to Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Rettig requested that the IRS consider the following measures to bring immediate relief to taxpayers and reduce the backlog during this tax filing season:

  • Halt automated collections from now until at least 90 days after April 18, 2022;
  • Delay the collection process for filers until any active and pending penalty abatement requests have been processed;
  • Streamline the reasonable-cause penalty abatement process for taxpayers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic without the need for written correspondence;
  • Provide targeted tax penalty relief for taxpayers who paid at least 70 percent of the tax due for the 2020 and 2021 tax years; and
  • Expedite processing of amended returns and provide TAS and congressional caseworkers with timely responses.

The letter, signed by 191 members of the House of Representatives, along with another letter signed by 25 Senators, promises that Congress “stands ready to support the IRS and looks forward to hearing how we can help you address any obstacles facing the agency.”

The following Congressional members from Washington signed the letter:

  • U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene
  • U.S. Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler
  • U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse
  • U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer
  • U.S. Representative Kim Schrier
  • U.S. Representative Adam Smith
  • U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland