WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Ways and Means Democrats, led by Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to explain the extent to which partners who provide free tax preparation services through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs will offer alternatives to in-person tax preparation services, given the unique and challenging nature of the 2021 filing season. In their letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, the lawmakers emphasized the importance of accessible free tax preparation services-particularly VITA and TCE-for qualified low- and moderate-income Americans, as well as the elderly.
“While many VITA and TCE sites are unable to operate at full capacity and others may remain closed due to the pandemic, it is urgent that the IRS provide proper support and resources to sites that will be open to serve taxpayers," the Ways and Means Democrats wrote to Commissioner Rettig. “Many sites struggled to navigate maintaining their service levels during the 2020 filing season due to the pandemic, and the IRS must ensure that these sites are best positioned to have a successful 2021 filing season."
The lawmakers concluded their letter by requesting more information from the IRS by Feb. 25, 2021, in order to better understand how free tax preparation services will be delivered and publicized during this filing season.
