The Internal Revenue Service will again give Americans extra time to file their taxes due to the pandemic, according to an adviser to Congress, who was briefed on the decision.
Instead of the usual April 15 deadline, applicants have until May 15, said the adjutant, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. The extra time is meant to relieve applicants grappling with the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic that left millions of people unemployed or reduced their working hours.
The month-long delay isn’t as much extra time as the IRS offered last year when the filing deadline was moved to July 15th, but it should make it easier for taxpayers to get their finances under control. And that includes an important change that only came into effect with the signing of the American rescue plan: only for 2020, the new law made the first US $ 10,200 in unemployment benefits tax-free for people with an income of less than US $ 150,000.
Treasury and Internal Revenue Service officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
The news was previously reported by Bloomberg News.
The pressure to extend the deadline had increased. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants said Tuesday that the pandemic had created “immeasurable trouble” that had made it difficult for taxpayers and practitioners to meet the April 15 deadline. “The IRS cannot overlook the impact of the pandemic on this year’s tax return,” the group said in a statement.
And lawmakers from both parties urged the Internal Revenue Service to postpone tax day, noting that the recently passed economic aid package and filing delays last year contained complicated provisions on tax law.
Charles Rettig, IRS commissioner, will testify to Congress on Thursday about the 2021 filing season.
