Fighting Big Government Failures at the IRS
Tax Day is a time when many Americans feel frustration. The average Nebraskan paid $14,974 in federal taxes last year. They expect efficient services in return. Too often, families and seniors get caught in a web of confusing tax rules. Even worse, bureaucratic failures can cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. That is why I am fighting to fix it and give taxpayers some relief.
First, I’m helping Nebraskans successfully navigate the federal bureaucracy. A couple from Dodge County contacted my office asking for help. They always file their taxes on paper. In 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made a big mistake. The IRS said they owed over $34,000. That was wrong. Not only did these Nebraskans not owe money, but they were due a refund of over $25,000. The IRS then refused to pay their 2023 refund because of the mix-up. Two years of refunds were being held up because the IRS made a mistake.
This couple tried to fix it themselves. They sent letters asking for help and got no response. They even met with the IRS in Omaha. Nothing worked. Then, they came to my office for help. Our casework team got to work immediately. We pushed the IRS to re-open their case. We worked with the Taxpayer Advocate Service to go through the paperwork line by line. We found the IRS’s mistakes and showed them they were wrong.
Soon after that, the Nebraskans finally got a refund check for over $22,000. That included almost $1,500 in interest. But there was still a problem. The IRS refused to admit they had made a mistake. That led the IRS to miscalculate how much money they owed the Nebraska couple. After more hard work, we helped them get another check.
In the end, the Dodge County couple received the money they were owed. It took more than a year, but we never gave up. This should never have happened in the first place. I’ll always fight to fix these bureaucratic failures.
Second, I’m working to extend the successful Trump tax cuts and avoid a tax increase. The Trump tax cuts delivered prosperity for Nebraska families. The bill doubled the child tax credit and reduced the federal tax rate for middle-income earners. Allowing those tax cuts to expire would effectively raise taxes on millions. That would be terrible. I’ll keep working until the tax cuts are made permanent.
Third, I’m fighting to reduce taxes on retirement benefits like we did when I was Governor. I recently introduced two bills to help Americans keep more of their money. The Social Security Check Tax Cut Act will phase out federal taxes on Social Security benefits. Right now, seniors who paid into Social Security their whole lives are taxed again when they receive their benefits. That needs to change. My bill starts the process to make Social Security benefits tax-free at the federal level by 2035. I also introduced the Tax Cuts for Veterans Act. This bipartisan bill would make sure military retirement pay is tax-free at the federal level. Our veterans gave years of service to protect our freedoms. My bipartisan bill ensures they are not taxed on the benefits they earned.
The federal government should serve taxpayers well. My team and I are here to help Nebraskans navigate the federal bureaucracy. We have offices in Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, and Scottsbluff. Contact us anytime by phone at 402-476-1400. You can find more information and needed privacy release forms on the “Services” tab at www.ricketts.senate.gov. Our team is specially trained in assisting constituents with concerns, complaints, or questions about services, eligibility, or benefits from the IRS and other federal agencies. This could include issues with passports, VA benefits, visas, and more. While we cannot promise a successful resolution of every case, our team is committed to using every tool available to fight for Nebraskans in need. |
