At a time when we are balancing so much (especially heading into the second week of Spring!), I understand how hard it can be to keep up with federal, state, and local news. Our office has seen an uptick in questions regarding the IRS, and it’s no surprise why. Thousands of you recently received your stimulus checks, thousands more will be receiving them soon, and, of course, this year’s tax season is upon us. Dealing with the unusual circumstances of the pandemic while navigating tax season can be challenging, which is why I wanted to take this opportunity to share helpful updates and resources.  

But as I’ve done before, I first want to address vaccines. Every day, we are hearing from and speaking with our community about our region’s vaccine distribution. We are turning your concerns into action. Just last week, I led an effort to open additional vaccination sites in our region. Ongoing efforts to improve vaccine rollout in our Commonwealth have shown progress, especially as the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced plans to open vaccines to all Pennsylvanians by April 19. However, I share your frustrations and won't stop advocating until every individual who wants a vaccine is able to get one. We just updated our vaccine FAQs, which you can read here. 

Now, if you don’t have time to read our entire update, please know the federal tax filing deadline was extended to May 17 – more on that later. Once again, we hope you find this message useful and invite you to reach out to our team at (202) 225-4315 if you need help. We are here to serve you. 

Bringing Together Experts to Answer Your Questions 

Throughout the pandemic, our office has remained committed to accessibility. To that end, we hosted a town hall to help our community navigate this tax season. We were lucky to have Kate Hunyady, Congressional Liaison for the IRS, with us to provide expert advice. Listen to our full conversation here, but please note the tax filing deadline was extended after this recording. Remember, all current tax forms and documents can be downloaded and printed at https://www.irs.gov/. To receive IRS forms via the U.S. mail, you can call 1-800-TAX-FORM.

Resources: Helping You Confidently Navigate Tax Season

As a reminder, the federal tax filing deadline was extended to May 17. In fact, both the IRS and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue announced extensions to their respective deadlines to submit your 2020 taxes. However, the IRS still recommends filing your 2020 taxes as soon as you can. They also recommend that you file online because it’s the most secure and efficient way to process returns. 

Where Can I Find Tax Forms? 

• All current IRS Tax Forms can be found at https://www.irs.gov/ 

• To have forms mailed to you, call (800) 829-3676 

• Make arrangements with your local libraries to pick up or print forms for you 

Are There Free Tax Preparation Resources? 

• IRS Free File 

• Chester County Free Taxes, (610) 380-9099 (also accessible to Berks County residents) 

• United Way of Chester County’s Financial Stability Center (FSC), (610) 429-9400 

• AARP 

We understand that filing taxes can be a hassle, especially during a pandemic, so we encourage you to take advantage of these online programs and resources. As always, feel free to reach out to our office with additional questions or concerns. 

Breaking it Down: Your Stimulus Checks

Delivering for Our Community: Constituent Services

Since January 2019, our office has saved or returned constituents over $5,000,000, and we remain committed to serving you during these trying times. My team and I understand the hurdles you all are facing, especially as we surpass the one year mark of this pandemic. Let there be no doubt that we are here to help you resolve any issues with a federal agency. Recently, I was happy to deliver timely service to Carol in Paoli after she wasn’t getting a response from the IRS:

 
If you are having an issue with a federal agency, fill out our form and our team will contact you! We also invite you to read more success stories here. Remember, our website is always a resource for you and your family.