Thread by @ArthurDelaneyHP

Heard from a few people who usually don't file tax returns that they can't get through online tax forms due to all the zeroes on their Form 1040s.

Bit of a problem for getting their coronavirus rebates. huffpost.com/entry/coronavi…

Tax prep firms say they're working with the IRS on a fix.

Democrats say they're "inundated" with calls from seniors and are asking Treasury to waive the tax return requirement for corona rebate payments.

The likes of @hamandcheese and @GreensteinCBPP said this kind of thing would happen and urged Congress not to require tax filing for the corona rebate. niskanencenter.org/cbpp-niskanen-…

Since posting this story late last night I got a dozen emails overnight from seniors on Social Security unable to file taxes online because the tax prep software won't let them, apparently due to their lack of earned income and tax liability.

This is a problem!

These are the same firms everyone was mad about luring people with promises of "free" filing and then charging them.

Here's an upsetting anecdote from my inbox:

"I tried two websites, one even charged me $23.52 then let me know they couldn’t e-file mine that was FreetaxUSA"

The emails keep coming. “went to turbo tax, jumped through all the hoops, got to end to be told can't e-file. No way to print them, and everything closed because of state mandate.”

Just spoke to Tim Hugo, director of the Free File Alliance, industry trade group for tax prep firms.

The solution to the online filing problem for people on Social Security or who have no income and are not allowed to e-file is the following:

Put $1 as your interest income

Uhh, nevermind about the $1 -- the Trump admin has changed its mind about this whole thing huffpost.com/entry/social-s…