03/19/2020
IRS Filing Deadline Clarified
There is a TON of incorrect information in the press about how the IRS will be handling the filing deadline for 2019 income tax returns. The IRS finally clarified when they issued IRS Notice 2020-17 late Wednesday, March 18th.
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/bulletins/281ebf9?reqfrom=share
First and foremost, the deadline to FILE your return has NOT been extended. The deadline continues to be April 15, 2020. As you have been able to do in the past, you have the right to request an automatic 6 month extension of time to file your 2019 income tax return, but it MUST be done by you or your tax preparer.
What the IRS has granted is additional time to PAY (without being subject to interest and penalties) your tax balance due on your return from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. For example, if you file your return by April 15, 2020 with a balance due of $1,500 that amount does not need to be paid until July 15, 2020.
This grace period for payments also applies to extended returns. A common misconception is that extensions also extend the time to pay your tax due, but the recent notice from the IRS has stated that if you project a balance due on your 2019 extension filed by April 15, 2020, you do not have to pay that amount until July 15, 2020.
The notice has also delayed the 1st quarter 2020 estimated tax payment originally due April 15, 2020. This 1st quarter estimated tax payment can also be deferred (penalty free) until July 15, 2020. Absent new legislation, all subsequent 2020 quarterly estimated tax payments will be due on the normal due dates of June 15 and September 15 of 2020 and January 15, 2021.
Eligible IRA Contributions will still need to be made by April 15, 2020 to be deductible on your 2019 income tax returns.
Virginia and all other states except Maryland and California have not changed their filing deadline so Virginia is still May 1, 2020. However, states typically pass rules adapting to the federal changes soon after a federal change. We will let you know if/when Virginia changes their filing deadline.
So as you can see, not much has really changed.
We encourage all clients to proceed as usual to file their 2019 income tax returns and there will be a small benefit if you have a balance due. Returns with an overpayment will really not be affected by this notice, but getting your refund back soon may be helpful to your cash flow.
All the other procedures that we put in place to protect clients, H&E staff, their families and the population in general since the COVID-19 outbreak are still in place and we appreciate that everyone so far has respected those procedures.
Thanks again for your understanding in these extraordinary times.
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