The IRS may owe you money from the pandemic years—but you have to claim it

Tax lawyers say Americans who paid IRS penalties or interest during the COVID-19 emergency could qualify for refunds after a federal court ruling shifted tax deadlines through July 2023.

[Photo: blacksalmon/Adobe Stock]

It’s possible that the IRS may owe you some money from the COVID era.

Last month, a U.S. Court of Federal Claims decision broadened the interpretation of a particular part of the tax code, IRC Sec. 7508A, which concerned the postponement of tax deadlines during disasters, such as the Covid pandemic. 

Specifically, a February ruling in Kwong v. United States (2025)—a lawsuit concerning a plaintiff’s attempt to get a refund for........

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