Backlog of tax filings may leave taxpayers asking, ‘Where is my refund?’

Though most people dread receiving mail from the Internal Revenue Service, those letters often provide important information to taxpayers who may be delinquent on their payments. Failure to open and respond in a timely fashion to IRS notices can lead to late fees, fines and a host of other troubles.

Last month, the IRS made a highly unusual announcement. Due to shutdowns during COVID-19, the agency has been buried in a mountain of unopened mail. That includes mail from taxpayers including checks to make tax payments. With those checks unprocessed, taxpayers may receive a notice of non-payment that could lead to understandable confusion and panic.

Foreign Bank and Financial Account Reports (FBARs) are information returns required to be filed by any U. S. citizen wherever located and by an individual, person, business, etc. that files U. S. income tax returns and has a financial interest in or signature authority over non-U. S. financial accounts (including bank accounts, brokerage accounts, mutual funds and trusts) where the aggregate value of the accounts exceeds $10,000 U. S. at any time during the calendar year.

For at least the reasonably foreseeable future, the “American Taxpayers Relief Act of 2012” (the “2012 Act”) ended the eleven-year saga in which the U.S. estate tax provisions changed almost annually, often dramatically.