Ossoff pushes for waiver of IRS fees after USPS issues cause delays for GA tax filers

ATLANTA — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is pushing for the Internal Revenue Service to waive penalties and interest fees for tax filers in Georgia resulting from the ongoing issues with the U.S. Postal Service in the state.

According to a release from the senator’s office, he has launched an inquiry with the IRS about the impact of the USPS delays on Georgia’s taxpayers and is asking that all penalties and interest fees be waived due to the “failed rollout of the USPS Palmetto Regional Processing and Distribution Center earlier this year.”

He’s also asked the tax agency to adjust taxpayer accounts so that interest and penalties don’t build up and “cause additional distress and confusion, and to escalate the processing of tax refunds for paper filers” impacted by the USPS delays.

Ossoff’s request was sent directly to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel.

“Constituents have notified my office they are being charged penalties and interest fees on late or missing filings and payments that they mailed to the IRS via USPS,” Ossoff asked the commissioner. “These tax filings are not arriving by statutory deadlines due to ongoing USPS performance issues and some filings even remain unaccounted for. Additionally, many of my constituents continue to experience financial hardship as a result of tax refund processing delays arising from ongoing problems with USPS management in Georgia.”

The request for waivers from the IRS for Georgians impacted by the USPS issues is just the latest in a series of steps Ossoff has taken to bring accountability to the USPS and resolution to Georgians impacted by months of delays.

Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the IRS for comment on the request.