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

Tracy Vrchota is the vice president of compliance at Accurate Background.

Ken Van Leeuwen

Ken Van Leeuwen founded Van Leeuwen & Company in 1997. As the firm's managing director, founder and financial advisor, he is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the firm as well as serving his clients, who include corporate executives, nonprofit organizations and foreign citizens who have made the U.S. their home.

Steph Tulley is the founder and CEO of Actuology. Tulley propels sustainability and success through: innovative economic strategy, dynamic consumer knowledge, and deep industry insight. Actuology's high-paced leader builds technology to augment human interaction, and future-proof the success of her industry.A New Yorker by birth and a quasi-Nomad by nature. When she is not working, Tulley has an adventurous streak. She has been known to spend countless hours playing in the field of natural history, and extreme wildlife photography.

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.

IRS-Building-light
The IRS headquarters building in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg