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.

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Louis Diamond - 2022 photo updated with credit

Louis Diamond is the CEO of Diamond Consultants, responsible for leading the long-term vision of the firm.

Previously, he worked as a consultant at Ernst & Young, and in wealth management at Morgan Stanley and UBS. He co-hosts the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors.

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Connor Murdock, CPA, is senior crew with AuditClub, where he executes and reviews audit and assurance procedures to support CPA firms and companies throughout the U.S. He has over five years of external audit and transaction advisory experience at Deloitte and Elliott Davis.

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As founder and president of CPAClub, Chris Vanover blends expertise in public accounting, auditing, regulation, innovation and education to drive meaningful change in the profession. A two-time Accounting Today Top 100 Most Influential People honoree, he is committed to advancing excellence and progress in accounting.

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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