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.
The pandemic has upended many business tasks, creating a rush among processors to expand the digital experience without complicating it.
Dennis Beresford was chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board from 1987-1997 and was previously national director of accounting standards at Ernst & Young. He is currently an executive in residence at the J.M. Tull School of Accounting at the University of Georgia. In 2004 he was elected to the Accounting Hall of Fame and received the AICPA Gold Medal for distinguished service. In 2006 he was selected as one of the inaugural inductees of the Financial Executives International Hall of Fame.
Jill R. Shah is a reporter at Employee Benefit News and Employee Benefit Adviser. She can be contacted via email at jill.shah@arizent.com.
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.
