IRS postpones deadline for gift and GST taxes due to coronavirus

The Internal Revenue Service is postponing the date for filing gift tax and generation-skipping transfer tax returns and making payments until July 15 because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Internal Revenue Service is postponing the date for filing gift tax and generation-skipping transfer tax returns and making payments until July 15, 2020, because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The IRS issued Notice 2020-20 on Friday, extending the relief it provided earlier this month on the tax-filing and payment dates for most other types of tax returns. The IRS also said the associated interest, additions to tax, and penalties for late filing or late payment will be suspended for the gift tax and generation-skipping transfer tax until July 15.

CORONAVIRUS IMPACT: ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
Headshot of Tanya Krochta of ACORD.

Tanya Krochta is EVP, COO, and Acting CEO of ACORD, the global insurance standards development association. She has over 25 years of experience in human resources and operations, and is a certified Chief Association Executive (CAE).

Christopher Buchanan is a reporter at American Banker. He is a rising senior at UCLA majoring in English literature and minoring in professional writing. He is a senior reporter at the Daily Bruin, UCLA's student newspaper.

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Michael Levine is a Partner in Hunton Andrews Kurth's Insurance Coverage group in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Mike is a Legal 500 and Chambers USA-ranked lawyer with more than 25 years of experience advising clients on insurance coverage matters and bringing disputed claims to successful resolution through litigation, arbitration and mediation.

The relief is automatic and applies to any amounts due related to these types of returns. There’s no requirement to file for an extension and the three-month period between the original due date of April 15 and the new deadline of July 15 will be disregarded in terms of any interest, penalties or extra taxes for those who fail to file a Form 709 United States Gift and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Return by April 15.

Groups of tax and accounting professionals such as the American Institute of CPAs, the National Society of Accountants and the National Conference of CPA Practitioners have been pressing the IRS to provide additional forms of tax relief beyond the initial relief granted for tax payments from coronavirus victims.

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The IRS headquarters building in Washington, D.C.
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