How the US Postal Service and the Internal Revenue Service are Related

There is much discussion at this time regarding the United States Postal Service (USPS) and how its capacity does not meet certain needs. This particular government agency touches almost all areas of life and it is the essential communication lifeline for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Many of our posts have been dedicated to helping Taxpayers understand how to identify and avoid tax related fraud. One constant truth is that the IRS only sends official communication through the USPS system. It is through these letters that Taxpayers will find out if they have tax responsibilities to care for and how to do so. There are also some who still file their tax returns on paper, through the mail. Many care for these things online, but for those who do not, a slow postal system wreaks havoc with IRS communication.

If someone is sending a payment to the IRS, they will consider the postmark on the envelope as the date it was received. However a slower mail system will keep the correspondence from arriving in a timely manner. All mail to the IRS is sent to a secure location to be processed for safety before it is actually delivered. Once it is, the date of the postmark will be honored. This could still mean that interest and penalties are added to a repayment situation detailed in a separate letter that is sent, before the on-time payment has been processed, adding stress and confusion to the Taxpayer. While the USPS is having issues, make sure any communication with the IRS is sent with plenty of time. Check with your Qualified Tax Professional to find out what other options are available to you.

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