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
Headshot of Manuel Rodriguez Vera.

Manuel Rodriguez Vera is Business Unit Head of Insurance at WNS, part of Capgemini.

Joseph Cecere of EisnerAmper

Joseph Cecere is a director in Eisner Advisory Group's forensic, litigation and valuation services practice. With nearly 20 years of experience in public accounting, he specializes in estate and gift tax valuations for general partners in private equity and venture capital funds and performs business valuation and forensic accounting calculations in commercial and matrimonial disputes. He has collaborated with firms across diverse industries, including distribution, manufacturing, intellectual property licensing, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, service industries, logistics, financial and technology sectors.

Hubert Klein of EisnerAmper

Hubert Klein is a partner and practice leader for the financial advisory services group in Eisner Advisory Group's New Jersey location. With nearly 40 years of experience, he is frequently called upon as a technical resource in various litigation actions. He has consulted and provided services in matters including complex damages, business valuations, due diligence analysis, fraud and forensic investigations, lost profit calculations, shareholder disputes, reasonable compensation and benefits analysis, insurance claims analysis, bankruptcy and matrimonial proceedings.

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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