You May Be Owed a Tax Refund From the Covid Era

The regular 2026 tax filing season ended last month, and many taxpayers have already received their refunds. But tens of millions of Americans may also be due refunds of a different sort — on tax penalties and interest charged during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The refunds aren’t guaranteed, because they result from a court decision that the government may still appeal, according to Erin M. Collins, the national taxpayer advocate. She heads a group within the Internal Revenue Service that works on behalf of taxpayers.

But to preserve your eligibility should the court ruling stand, you must file refund claims with the I.R.S. by July 10, Ms. Collins said in blog posts aimed at making people aware of the situation. “At the center of this issue are taxpayers who may be entitled to refunds but will never claim them,” she said in an email.

I.R.S. data shows that many potentially affected taxpayers are low- and moderate-income people who are less likely to have professional tax help and to hear about the potential refunds, Ms. Collins said. “For them, a refund is not just a technical tax adjustment,” she said. “It can make a real financial difference.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/your-money/tax-refund-penalties-pandemic.html