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

Prince-Alex Iwu is an associate with the law firm Diaz, Reus & Targ. Prince-Alex's expertise includes international arbitration, corporate investigations, compliance and cross-border disputes. He advises clients in navigating complex regulatory frameworks, including sanctions and financial crime compliance.

Ishmael Green is a partner with the law firm Diaz, Reus & Targ. His expertise includes complex commercial litigation, class action defense, securities and fraud litigation, cryptocurrency law and regulatory compliance. Green advises U.S. and multinational corporations on digital asset disputes and has provided expert commentary on cryptocurrency regulations.

Michael Diaz Jr. is the global managing partner of law firm Diaz, Reus & Targ. Michael is a Florida bar board-certified international litigation and arbitration attorney and an ACAMS-certified anti-money-laundering specialist with 38 years of experience leading cross-border investigations, FCPA and OFAC matters, asset recovery and crypto-related disputes.

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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