Millions of taxpayers in the United States could have one last chance to recover money from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The deadline expires this Friday, July 10, and applies to people who, due to a recent court ruling related to the COVID-19 pandemic, can still file a tax refund claim for fines, interest, or tax benefits that they did not receive at the time.

The deadline comes after a federal judge determined, in November, that the IRS should have suspended the deadlines to file returns and make payments during the period of national disaster due to COVID-19, which was in effect from January 20, 2020 to May 11, 2023. The judicial decision established that, following the rules of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that grants an additional 60 days after the end of the emergency, that period of returns and payments should have been extended until December 10. July 2023.

Additionally, as the law generally allows three years from the filing date to claim a refund, affected taxpayers now have until July 10, 2026 to submit refund requests related to that period.

"However, this relief will not occur automatically. To protect their rights, most taxpayers must file a refund request, generally by July 10, 2026," said Erin Collins, national taxpayer advocate.

Who can request a refund?

The National Taxpayer Ombudsman indicated that it is worth reviewing the tax situation if the taxpayer is in any of these cases:

Collins also recommended reviewing tax records to determine whether it is necessary to file a refund application, an original or amended return, a reduction petition, or a preemptive claim.

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