Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues to Request for the IRS to Extend Tax-Filing Deadline for Individual Taxpayers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and 18 of their colleagues in urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig to extend the April 15, 2020 tax-filing deadline to provide taxpayers greater flexibility amid challenges caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus. Currently, there are more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus in 38 states, including 25 in Illinois.

“Given the growing nationwide concerns regarding the potential spread and the resulting economic and public health impact of such an outbreak, we urge you to act quickly and remove one source of stress that individuals face during this crisis,” the Senators wrote to Commissioner Rettig. “The American people should not have to worry about filing IRS forms in the middle of a public health emergency.”

The deadline to file tax returns with the IRS for the 2019 tax year falls on Wednesday, April 15. The IRS began processing tax returns on January 27, 2020.

“While providing penalty relief is insufficient to address this crisis alone, it would at least lift one burden off the backs of taxpayers, who are trying to keep themselves and their loved ones safe,” they added. “If the Trump Administration can grant flexibility to multinational corporations armed with droves of accountants and tax attorneys, then surely it can provide similar relief to hard-working American families.”

Along with Duckworth, Durbin, Menendez and Murray, other Senators who signed this letter include Charles Schumer (D-NY), Tom Carper (D-DE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

The full text of the letter can be found below and here.

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