Client Receives a Letter from IRS

[Uncle Sam]

A client of mine received a letter from IRS regarding a problem with a paper filed return for 2017 - that required paper filing. It was filed and paid with balance due in February 2021 along with the tax return. IRS acknowledges receipt of check, but doesn't have tax return
At the beginning of the notice the IRS notice says -
"We've credited payments andlor other credits
to your tax account for the tax year shown
above, The statue of limitations for claiming a
refund for the tax year shown above is set to
expire. As a result, you are at risk 0f losing the
right to a potential refund of your credits and/or
payments shown above."

The only statue I know of stands in NY harbor with a torch in hand.

[FEDUKE404]

Your client's return is probably buried deep in the piles of still unprocessed paper returns filed earlier in 2021.
(Hopefully it got a time stamp when received along with the check. Also assume you used the correct IRS mailing address for professionally-prepared balance due tax return + payment enclosed.)

[ATSMAN]

It was filed and paid with balance due in February 2021 along with the tax return.

I have been advising all my clients who have to paper file or mail a payment to use proof of mailing with IRS and state DOR. The problem has really become acute since COVID 19 started. Hopefully it will be resolved otherwise the taxpayer may need to approach TA with the proof of timely mailing.

[msgcpa@ytax.com]

Hopefully it will be resolved otherwise the taxpayer may need to approach TA with the proof of timely mailing.

Nope, it just gets worse. USPS has stopped scanning the tracking numbers.