“I believe that if the IRS can find the time and resources to send inaccurate letters to taxpayers, you should be able to find the time and resources to remedy your error by writing a second time to directly inform the taxpayers of your mistake and reassure them that they are not in danger of falling out of compliance with the law.” – Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) to IRS Commissioner Doug O’Donnell

Background: The Internal Revenue Service recently mailed a letter to taxpayers in California notifying them that they had 21 days remaining to pay their federal tax obligation. However, this letter failed to note that for the counties falling under the Major Disaster Declaration issued in the wake of January’s severe storms, including most California counties and all of Rep. Kiley’s congressional district, the filing deadline has been extended to October 16, 2023. This IRS letter has left many Californians confused and distraught, believing the deadline is much earlier than in reality.

In response, the IRS issued a statement clarifying that the actual deadline is October 16, 2023 for counties covered under the Disaster Declaration yet astonishingly requested that taxpayers not call the IRS for clarification on the guidance and have not committed to remedying the situation by sending a follow up letter to those originally mailed with the correct deadline. Rep. Kiley has swiftly acted, sending a letter to IRS Commissioner Doug O’Donnell calling on him to move expediently on sending a follow up letter to impacted taxpayers clarifying the correct filing deadline.