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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Colin Nabity

Colin Nabity is the CEO & co-founder of Breeze, an insurtech with a mission to close the income protection gap through disability insurance and critical illness insurance.

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Ville Somppi, vice president of professional services solutions at M-Files, has 20 years of experience defining, developing and deploying technology solutions for knowledge intensive industries. He has worked with companies across the globe ranging from large corporations to small startups and family-owned businesses. At M-Files, he oversees solutions for professional services industries such as accounting.

Russell Silberston is a senior research analyst covering major economy central bank monetary policy. He also covers additional analysis of both structural and cyclical fiscal policy dynamics and impact, macroprudential regulation and financial stability of the international monetary and financial system.

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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