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

Alan Tyson is the CEO of DATABASICS, a time and expense management solutions provider.

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James Gilmer is a compliance specialist at Harbor Compliance, a provider of compliance solutions for companies of all types and sizes that has helped more than 25,000 organizations apply for, secure and maintain licensing across all industries. He helps nonprofit organizations leverage compliance to enhance their fundraising and program activities and educates the sector on compliance issues. He is also a co-founder of Berks Sinfonietta, Inc., a nonprofit chamber orchestra located in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Cissy Williams is Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for Protective Life Corporation. In her current role, she is responsible for the strategic vision of customer experience and accountable for collaborating with enterprise-wide business owners to execute on strategy. Ms. Williams oversees operations of the annuity business, life insurance administration, licensing, contracting and compensation, and claims. In 2015, she joined our organization as Protective’s first Customer Experience leader.

Prior to joining Protective, Ms. Williams served in leadership roles in the development and delivery of operational strategies at Unum. She led strategy development and planning, enabling Unum’s three companies to leverage more enterprise assets to create and sustain business value.

Ms. Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University.

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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