Thursday, August 22, 2024–10:25 a.m.
-News Release-
Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after receiving reports from Georgia constituents that they are being charged penalties and interest fees on late or missing filings and payments that they mailed to the IRS via the United States Postal Service.
As part of his inquiry, Sen. Ossoff is urging the IRS to waive penalties and interest fees incurred directly as a result of USPS delays, stemming from the failed rollout of the USPS Palmetto Regional Processing and Distribution Center earlier this year.
Sen. Ossoff also urged the IRS to adjust taxpayer accounts in a timely manner so that interest and penalties do not accumulate and cause additional distress and confusion, and to escalate the processing of tax refunds for paper filers who have been impacted by USPS delays in Georgia.
“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,” Sen. Ossoff wrote to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. “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.”
For months, Sen. Ossoff has remained focused on applying maximum pressure on USPS leadership and conducting vigorous oversight of the USPS to resolve challenges Georgia families and businesses continue facing.
In March, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to provide detailed answers and explanation amid growing reports of missing and delayed mail processed through the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center.
On April 16, Sen. Ossoff questioned Postmaster General DeJoy under oath during a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing about the delays.
Then in May, Sen. Ossoff launched a new inquiry requesting an update from USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on the current on-time delivery statistics in the metro Atlanta area as families and businesses continue to face lengthy delays.
In June, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General after Fulton County Clerk of Courts Ché Alexander uncovered that over 1,100 official pieces of Court correspondence — including notices of hearings, orders from the Court, and other legal documents — never reached intended recipients and had returned to the Court marked as “return to sender” by USPS.
In July, Sen. Ossoff met in Washington, D.C. with USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to continue pressing for improved mail delivery service for Georgia families and businesses.
Click here to read Sen. Ossoff’s inquiry with the IRS.