One day after the Treasury Department announced that the July 15th filing deadline will not be postponed, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig testified at a hearing today in the Senate Finance Committee on the tax filing season and the agency's implementation of coronavirus relief legislation.  

The decision against a further delay "ultimately was made by the Treasury," Rettig told Sen. John Thune (R-SD), "but we were interactive with various professional organizations, professional service organization, both accounting, law and otherwise." He noted that "businesses have started to settle into a degree of reality" in dealing with the coronavirus.

Sen. Thune asked if separate or additional deadlines would be better or worse for taxpayers. Rettig noted that the IRS is "always processing two filing seasons at once...so it becomes a little cumbersome for us, but that was not taken into account." He said that, particularly for self-employed or unrepresented taxpayers, "too many dates begins to get a little confusing in the trenches." He noted that the IRS issued a reminder yesterday to taxpayers "with a host of payment options for folks who might not be able to pay by July 15th."

Rettig told Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) that the Treasury Department would need to authorize formal guidance beyond the FAQs IRS issued on nonresident alien individuals and foreign businesses with employees stranded due to the coronavirus. He said he would take the Senator's request to Treasury.

Rettig also acknowledged that there has been fraud by some trying to take advantage of the Employee Retention Credit. Prosecutions for fraud have been pursued by the IRS, he said. He told Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) that he would welcome additional input from taxwriters on policing this provision.

Commissioner Rettig's prepared testimony is posted here.

The opening statement of Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) is posted here.

Ranking Member Ron Wyden's (D-OR) opening statement is posted here.

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