U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) called on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to resolve ongoing issues preventing 8th district residents from receiving their stimulus checks in an Aug. 11, 2020, letter, co-signed by Rep. Richard Neal (MA-01), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Slotkin issued the call after receiving persistent phone calls from concerned constituents who are still waiting on their Economic Impact Payments (EIPs).
“While we appreciate that many taxpayers have received their EIPs, too many have yet to receive the emergency financial assistance they were counting on,” Slotkin said in the letter. “More than three months after initial payments went out, these Americans feel left behind. They are desperately in need of these funds and are struggling to resolve the reasons for their missing or inaccurate payments — or even to understand what these reasons are.”
These stimulus payments were some of the first direct, critical assistance Congress passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the CARES Act, in March. For months, in addition to not receiving their stimulus payments, or receiving the incorrect amount, constituents have encountered persistent challenges in simply trying to understand why they have not received their payment through the IRS’s online payment portal or telephone help line.
“This is unacceptable,” Slotkin’s letter reads. “The IRS must take additional steps to ensure that all Americans can and do receive answers and receive them quickly.”
Slotkin’s letter calls for the IRS to take immediate and specific action to resolve the issue by:
• Expanding EIP assistance by adding 1,000 additional IRS employees to answer telephone and mail-in questions from taxpayers.
• Immediately improving the Get My Payment portal to ensure up to date information for individuals on eligibility and EIP status.
• Publicly responding to citizens’ calls for assistance by posting on the IRS website a detailed plan addressing concerns.
If you continue to encounter difficulty in receiving your stimulus payment and require assistance, contact Slotkin’s office by calling (517) 993-0510.
Full text of the letter is below:
The Honorable Charles P. Rettig
Commissioner
Internal Revenue Service
1111 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20224Dear Commissioner Rettig,
We write today regarding the need to provide taxpayers with assistance in resolving problems related to their economic impact payments (EIPs). We respectfully ask the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to take immediate action to bolster taxpayer assistance for EIPs to ensure that our constituents receive their promised emergency financial assistance as soon as possible.
On April 13, 2020, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) announced that over 80 million Americans would receive their EIPs that week. Subsequently, Treasury announced that,
as of July 17, 2020, an additional 80 million individuals had received payment. While we appreciate that many taxpayers have received their EIPs, too many have yet to receive the emergency financial assistance they were counting on. More than three months after initial payments went out, these Americans feel left behind. They are desperately in need of these funds and are struggling to resolve the reasons for their missing or inaccurate payments—or even to understand what these reasons are.
Since the IRS began issuing EIPs, congressional offices have been inundated with inquiries from constituents. Among other issues, constituents are trying to locate missing payments, determine a timeframe for receiving their payments, and understand why their payment amount is less than what they are eligible for. Unfortunately, the IRS’s Get My Payment portal, which the IRS claimed would allow taxpayers to track the status of their EIPs, has been entirely ineffective for many of our constituents who need answers. All too often, constituents report that the Get My Payment portal continues to report “Payment Status Not Available,” without providing any additional information. This is unacceptable.
Without answers from the Get My Payment portal, constituents are turning to other avenues for assistance, such as the EIP phone line and their congressional representatives. Unfortunately, the EIP phone line and the IRS mailbox designated to help congressional offices are inadequate to meet demand. We understand that the IRS is now working to put staff in place to address the thousands of unanswered congressional emails regarding constituent cases. While this is a helpful first step, these cases likely represent only a small portion of the individuals who need the IRS’s help. The IRS must take additional steps to ensure that all Americans can and do receive answers and receive them quickly. This is particularly important as we consider an additional stimulus check in the next COVID-19 package.
In March, Congress appropriated $750 million to the IRS to issue the EIPs and provide EIP taxpayer assistance. At a minimum, we request that the IRS immediately expand EIP telephone and congressional mailbox assistance by adding at least 1,000 additional IRS employees and by making sure such employees have access to taxpayer information in order to promptly answer account-specific EIP questions. We also request that the IRS improve the Get My Payment portal, such that it provides constituents with accurate information about their eligibility and the status of their EIPs. We are hopeful this will address many of our constituents’ needs for information by expanding the IRS’s ability to provide assistance for taxpayer cases that require more individual attention. Finally, we ask that you respond to this letter promptly to outline how and by when you plan to implement these necessary changes. Because of the large demand for assistance across congressional offices, it would be helpful if you also publicly release your reply and post it on the IRS’s website, so that all offices can share the plan with their constituents.
Your attention to this critically important matter is much appreciated. We stand ready and waiting to assist you in this in any way we can.
Sincerely,
The Honorable Richard E. Neal
Chairman, Committee on Ways and MeansThe Honorable Elissa Slotkin
Member of Congress
