Floridians have until this date to claim potential IRS COVID refund
Floridians have until this date to claim potential IRS COVID refund
Samantha Neely and Medora Lee, USA TODAY NETWORK - FloridaTue, May 5, 2026 at 1:34 PM UTC
0
Could some Floridians still be owed a refund from the COVID era?
According to the independent National Taxpayer Advocate, tens of millions of taxpayers may be entitled to refunds or penalty and interest abatements the IRS assessed during the nearly 3.5-year "COVID-19 federal disaster period."
"Many taxpayers affected by this issue have low and moderate incomes," NTA said in its blog post. "These taxpayers are less likely to have professional representation and to learn about complex legal developments like this one. As a result, they face a greater risk of missing the opportunity to claim refunds to which they may be entitled."
But you won't get this refund automatically. Here's why some could be eligible for a refund and the deadline for submitting a claim.
When is the deadline to file a claim for COVID IRS refund?
Taxpayers must file a claim by July 10, using Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement.
A taxpayer should specify on the form that it’s a protective claim based on the Kwong v. United States decision regarding Section 7508A(d) and the COVID-19 disaster period, according to USA TODAY.
What is Kwong v. United States? Why are refunds possible
These possible refunds stem from a court ruling in Kwong v. United States.
It interpreted a tax rule that says that once a federally declared disaster is in effect, tax code Section 7508A(d) mandates the postponement of applicable tax deadlines for the disaster period plus 60 days. The court ruled the COVID-19 public health emergency from Jan. 20, 2020, through May 11, 2023, fell under this provision. Add in 60 days, and the new tax deadline for tax year 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 filings would have been July 10, 2023.
Without taxes due, the IRS likely also had no right to levy penalties and interest during that window, tax lawyers said. So, if you were charged penalties or fees, you may be owed a refund, USA TODAY reports.
The IRS disagrees with the ruling, and the Department of Justice will probably appeal, but until then, taxpayers must make a claim to preserve their refund if it's approved.
What could taxpayers receive if the ruling is affirmed?
According to NTA, taxpayers may be owed:
Penalties assessed for failure to timely file returns, failure to pay taxes, or failure to make estimated tax payments;
Interest that began accruing earlier than it should have, or not at all; and
Overpayment interest for the 2020–2023 disaster period.
"Some practitioners believe that even where the underlying liability arose before the disaster period began, you may not have had to pay interest or penalties during that period," NTA said. "Again, the IRS disagrees," and taxpayers may have to wait to get the final answer. However, again, to preserve the right to a potential refund, taxpayers must claim by July 10.
Who's affected?
A broad group of taxpayers may be entitled to the refund, experts said.
Advertisement
"Impacted taxpayers represent a broad cross-section of the public, including individuals, small businesses, large corporations, estates, and trusts," NTA said. "The issue reaches taxpayers with obligations related to income, employment, estate, gift, and excise taxes. It may also affect taxpayers who filed late international information returns, which can result in significant penalties even when no tax is due."
How does someone know if they may be owed a refund?
Taxpayers need to check their tax records to see if the IRS levied any penalties or interest during the tax filing pause, said Jon Wasser, partner at Fox Rothschild who focuses on tax issues. They can do that by either asking their tax professionals or looking at their IRS tax transcript.
IRS tax account transcripts show each year’s tax information, including filing status, taxable income and adjustments made after the original return was processed. It also shows payments, penalties and interest, along with the dates they were made or assessed.
Tax account transcripts are available online by registering to use the Individual Online Account to view, print, or download, or by mail, according to the IRS. Americans can order one by mail on the IRS website or by calling the automated phone transcript service at 800-908-9946. It should arrive in five to 10 calendar days.
Where do you submit a claim?
NTA notes that the claims currently can only be filed by paper, which "is slower, less accessible, and more difficult to track. The IRS does not provide immediate confirmation that it has received the claim.
As a result, taxpayers are well advised to send their refund claims by certified mail so they can prove they timely submitted them in the event they are lost or misplaced."
Because there could be potentially tens of millions of claims, NTA urges the IRS to "quickly develop a means to allow taxpayers to file their claims electronically and implement it immediately. The IRS and taxpayers do not need paper Forms 843 clogging up the system."
Is Trump issuing $2,000 stimulus checks in 2026?
Since the beginning of his second term in 2025, President Donald Trump has been floating the idea of sending stimulus checks to Americans. While Americans could potentially see these checks become a reality, it's not that simple.
Trump vowed to issue dividend checks to "individuals of moderate income" sometime in 2026, before the midterm elections; but for a stimulus payment to become a reality, Congress would need to approve the proposal, which has not yet happened.
There were three prior stimulus checks tied to COVID-era stimulus programs, the third and final of which had a claim deadline of April 15, 2025. The opportunity to claim or file for all three stimulus checks has now passed.
While speculation about a fourth stimulus check has surfaced on social media and unverified websites, there has been no official confirmation from Congress or the IRS to support this claim. Any such news should be taken with caution, as it could be misinformation or an attempt at fraud.
Samantha Neely is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, theme parks, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Are some Floridians still owed a refund from the COVID era? See how
Source: “AOL Breaking”
