Posted 4/1/2020

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today announced that Social Security beneficiaries who are not typically required to file tax returns will not need to file an abbreviated tax return to receive an Economic Impact Payment. Instead, payments will be automatically deposited into their bank accounts.

“Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return do not to need take an action, and will receive their payment directly to their bank account,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

The IRS will use the information on the Form SSA-1099 and Form RRB-1099 to generate $1,200 Economic Impact Payments to Social Security recipients who did not file tax returns in 2018 or 2019. Recipients will receive these payments as a direct deposit or by paper check, just as they would normally receive their benefits.

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Tax Day now July 15: Treasury, IRS extend filing deadline and federal tax payments regardless of amount owed

WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced today that the federal income tax filing due date is automatically extended from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020.

Taxpayers can also defer federal income tax payments due on April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020, without penalties and interest, regardless of the amount owed. This deferment applies to all taxpayers, including individuals, trusts and estates, corporations and other non-corporate tax filers as well as those who pay self-employment tax.

Taxpayers do not need to file any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify for this automatic federal tax filing and payment relief.  Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline, can request a filing extension by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using the Free File link on IRS.gov. Businesses who need additional time must file Form 7004.

The IRS urges taxpayers who are due a refund to file as soon as possible. Most tax refunds are still being issued within 21 days.

“Even with the filing deadline extended, we urge taxpayers who are owed refunds to file as soon as possible and file electronically,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Filing electronically with direct deposit is the quickest way to get refunds. Although we are curtailing some operations during this period, the IRS is continuing with mission-critical operations to support the nation, and that includes accepting tax returns and sending refunds. As a federal agency vital to the overall operations of our country, we ask for your personal support, your understanding – and your patience. I’m incredibly proud of our employees as we navigate through numerous different challenges in this very rapidly changing environment.”

The IRS will continue to monitor issues related to the COVID-19 virus, and updated information will be posted on a special coronavirus page on IRS.gov.

This announcement comes following the President’s emergency declaration last week pursuant to the Stafford Act. The Stafford Act is a federal law designed to bring an orderly and systematic means of federal natural disaster and emergency assistance for state and local governments in carrying out their responsibilities to aid citizens. It was enacted in 1988.

Treasury and IRS will issue additional guidance as needed and continue working with Congress, on a bipartisan basis, on legislation to provide further relief to the American people.

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are providing special payment relief to individuals and businesses in response to the COVID-19 Outbreak. The filing deadline for tax returns remains April 15, 2020. The IRS urges taxpayers who are owed a refund to file as quickly as possible. For those who can’t file by the April 15, 2020 deadline, the IRS reminds individual taxpayers that everyone is eligible to request a six-month extension to file their return.

This payment relief includes:

Individuals: Income tax payment deadlines for individual returns, with a due date of April 15, 2020, are being automatically extended until July 15, 2020, for up to $1 million of their 2019 tax due. This payment relief applies to all individual returns, including self-employed individuals, and all entities other than C-Corporations, such as trusts or estates. IRS will automatically provide this relief to taxpayers. Taxpayers do not need to file any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify for this relief.

Just to draw your attention:

The filing deadline for tax returns remains April 15, 2020. 

2/28/2020

We have made the appropriate updates on our end and all CA transmissions have resumed. Any outstanding CA acks should be returned at this point.

2/27/2020

We are currently working with CA FTB regarding state transmissions stuck in a “sending” status since 2/25/2020. As of today, 2/27/2020, we were made aware CA FTB released an update to their servers on 2/25 that does not support a key exchange algorithm we have been using in conjunction with CA transmissions. We are looking into switching out our current communication library to resolve this issue. We do not currently have an ETA at this time for when CA transmissions will resume, but note that all sites can still transmit CA returns to us (TaxSlayer).

2/25/2020 Update from MO DOR:

“We are back up and issuing acknowledgments.  Please let me know if you still have outstanding acknowledgments.”

Software vendors received the below messaging from the Missouri Department of Revenue today.

“We are currently experiencing delays in retrieving MeF submissions and sending acknowledgments.  I will send an update as soon as I know more details.“

2/20/2020 – Michigan has posted this banner to their “Where’s my Refund” page…”We are currently experiencing delays with e-file returns. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while the issue is being resolved.” This information is available HERE.

Software vendors received the below e-mail from Michigan on February 6th.

“Michigan is experiencing a delay in processing e-file acknowledgements for MI-1040 MeF submissions.  E-file acknowledgements are expected to start going out later today (2/6/2020) and to be current by the close of business tomorrow (2/7/2020). We apologize for any inconvenience this delay has caused and thank you for your patience.”

2/17/2020 – The HI issue described from 2/14 update below is now resolved.

2/14/2020 — Issue 4454 getting an error when trying to load the Hawaii return.  We currently have this in development

What you can do?

• Edit and calculate the returns that were impacted by Issue 4438
• Print a copy of the state return
• Can file the federal return without the State if the state requires adjustments
• Create a return tag so you know which returns you need to go back and make state adjustments.

What you cannot do?

• Edit the Hawaii return to make adjustments

2/14/2020 – Issue 4438 is now resolved.

The fix for Issue 4438 is set to be deployed tomorrow morning (Friday, the 14th) during our deployment window. This will correct the issue some sites are having with generating a PDF or showing real-time calcs when a Hawaii return has been added to the Federal return.