As Americans gets ready to file their taxes next month, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2016, tackled the issue of tax returns this week, teaming up with two senators from a key primary state and a tea party favorite from Florida.
On Wednesday, Rubio paired up with the two senators from New Hampshire -- Republican Kelly Ayotte and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen -- to bring out a resolution calling for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that the agency continues to provided printed copies of tax returns forms and instructions.
The IRS is currently cutting down on distributing printed materials. Rubio sent a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen urging him to keep printed forms and instructions in circulation, but his request was denied.
Rubio said the IRS needed to recognize not everyone filed their taxes online.
While filing taxes electronically has become the norm in the 21st century, we must also recognize that many Americans still lack the Internet access and tools to be able to do so, not to mention the serious tax fraud that happens online, Rubio said on Wednesday. The IRS shouldnt be making it harder for taxpayers to comply with the law, and this resolution makes clear that the IRSs behavior borders on callous indifference to the unique needs of many, especially our seniors.
The two senators from New Hampshire made their cases as well on Wednesday and urged the IRS to include printed materials at libraries and other public facilities.
We need to make sure that taxpayers have the information they need to file their taxes, and we need to take extra care to provide that information to our seniors and those with limited access to the Internet, Shaheen said. Many Americans are still accustomed to filing hard copies of their taxes, and the IRS should be doing everything it can to make the filing process as easy as possible.
With almost 20 percent of Granite Staters personally filing paper returns, the IRSs decision not to provide printed tax forms defies common sense and places an undue burden on low-income and elderly taxpayers in our state, said Ayotte. I am very concerned that this will leave many New Hampshire residents with no means to obtain the forms necessary to complete their tax returns, and I urge the IRS to correct this problem immediately.
That wasnt Rubios only action on tax returns this week. On Tuesday, Rubio and U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., introduced legislation forcing the Treasury Department to add tougher security measures, including security questions, for Americans who file their taxes online. Both Rubio and Yoho noted that Florida has been facing more identity threat problems than other states.
One of the biggest problems that constituents turn to our office for help with is electronic identity theft that results from filing taxes online, said Rubio. The criminals behind this problem are stealing both peoples money and their time. Florida is where the electronic identity theft problem is most severe, and we believe the Treasury Department and IRS need to step up their game in cracking down on this problem by prioritizing resources to combat the growing trend of electronic identity theft.
With tax season upon us, the problem of identity theft is serious and growing. The fact that this affects an increasing number of Floridians is unacceptable, said Yoho. I am happy to join Sen. Rubio in pressing the Treasury Department and IRS to solve this problem. The bill we have introduced today is a common-sense solution that will protect hard-working American taxpayers from faceless cyber criminals, as well as save them billions of dollars.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
