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.
Christopher A. Steele is a partner at MendenFreiman LLP and a former shareholder in the Atlanta office of Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Trusts and Estates Practice who counsels clients in a variety of tax, trust and estate matters, including planning for business owners.
Jasmin Severino Hernandez serves as an associate in Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Atlanta office Trusts & Estates Practice Group. She helps clients in creating efficient and effective estate plans and implementing beneficial tax planning strategies. Her work includes the design and preparation of key estate planning documents, estate and gift tax planning, charitable planning, and probate and estate administration. She may be reached at (404) 658-5481 or by email at jasmin.hernandez@chamberlainlaw.com.
Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou is a journalist at Bloomberg News.
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.
