Mail processing delays in Georgia affecting tax payments

ATLANTA – Chronic delays in mail processing and delivery Georgians have been experiencing for months have cropped up again in connection with federal tax payments.

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., launched an inquiry Wednesday with the Internal Revenue Service after hearing from constituents who are being charged penalties and interest fees on late or missing payments they mailed to the IRS on time.

“These tax filings are not arriving by statutory deadlines due to ongoing USPS (United States Postal Service) performance issues, and some filings even remain unaccounted for,” Ossoff wrote in a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel.

“Additionally, many of my constituents continue to experience financial hardships as a result of tax refund processing delays arising from ongoing problems with USPS management in Georgia.”

Ossoff questioned Postmaster General Louis DeJoy at a Senate committee hearing in April after receiving reports that only 36% of inbound mail processed by the Atlanta Regional Processing and Distribution Center was being delivered on time.

DeJoy blamed the delays on problems rolling out a USPS restructuring plan aimed at making the postal service financially self-sufficient and better able to compete with private shippers. He moved to address the delays by bringing more than 100 employees from other mail processing centers to the Atlanta-area facility in Palmetto and revising transportation schedules between the regional center and other processing centers to increase local trips.

In June, DeJoy reported that on-time mail delivery was improving, but Georgians continued to complain about delays sending and receiving mail.

Ossoff is urging the IRS to waive penalties and interest fees incurred as a direct result of USPS delays, adjust taxpayer accounts in a timely manner so penalties and fees don’t accumulate, and to accelerate the processing of tax refunds for filers affected by the USPS delays.