Davis, Sewell Press Trump Administration for Explanation After More Than 830,000 Taxpayers Have Their Refunds Delayed

WASHINGTON, DC— Ways and Means Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Ranking Member Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Terri A. Sewell (D-AL)  wrote to Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Scott Bessent, seeking answers after more than 830,000 taxpayers have so far received notices this filing season that their refunds have been delayed.

In March of 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14247, mandating electronic payments of tax refunds. Last year, the National Taxpayer Advocate reported that over 10 million individual taxpayers received their refunds by paper check and may be unbanked, have impairments, or face systemic or geographic challenges that make providing electronic deposit information difficult. As a result, this year, more than 830,000 taxpayers have received notices from the IRS that their refunds are being held and delayed, some by more than 2 months, because they did not provide the required banking information.

“Having reviewed the IRS notice and called the IRS phone lines, we learned that there is no simple process for these taxpayers to request an immediate release of their refund by paper check without waiting at least 10 weeks.” The Democratic Lawmakers wrote. “Effectively, the President, unilaterally through his Executive Order, is causing undue hardship on millions of Americans by delaying their paper refunds for months.”

Noting that taxpayers rely on timely refund checks, the Ranking Members requested information regarding these delays, including how many notices are scheduled to be sent, and how taxpayers without an IRS online account can apply for a paper check and the immediate release of their tax refund, to be provided by March 23, 2026.

Read the full letter and questions to Acting Commissioner Bessent HERE.

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