CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 03/30/20

How coronavirus has affected tax deadlines

By Cal Powell

The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have extended the deadline for filing and paying 2019 income tax liability three months — from April 15 to July 15.

If taxpayers are expecting a refund, they should file as quickly as possible, said Lance Palmer, a professor in the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“Both the deadline to file and the deadline to pay your federal taxes has been extended,” Palmer said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced the deadline for filing Georgia state income tax returns also has moved to July 15.

In addition, Congress and the White House are working on a large economic stimulus package that likely will affect individual taxation in additional ways.

Locally, Palmer has helped lead UGA’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in partnership with Georgia United Credit Union. The VITA program has provided free tax preparation for low-income Athens residents for the last 15 years.

Due to precautions surrounding COVID-19, all sessions have been canceled for the remainder of the semester, Palmer said.

“We plan to be back next year,” he said.

Here, Palmer answers some questions regarding the coronavirus’s effect on tax preparation.

I heard I don’t have to pay my 2019 taxes until July 15, 2020. Is that true?

Yes, it is true that the IRS has extended the April 15 payment deadline until July 15, 2020. This includes the payment of 2019 taxes that would normally be due on April 15, as well as the payment of 2020 estimated tax payments for self-employed individuals that would also normally be due on April 15. Here is a link to the official IRS Notice 2020-18:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-18.pdf

I also heard that I don’t have to file my 2019 tax return until July 15, 2020. Is this true? 

Yes, this is also a recent change for this year only. Penalties and interest for not filing a tax return or not paying your taxes will not start accruing until July 15, 2020, for the 2019 tax year. If individuals are expecting a refund, they should file as quickly as possible.

Have other tax-related rules been affected?

Yes. The IRS has permitted high-deductible health insurance plans to cover 100 percent of the costs associated with testing for the coronavirus before any deductible, coinsurance or copays are met. Individuals who have a high-deductible health insurance plan (often referred to as Consumer Choice plans eligible for Health Savings Accounts) should check with their health insurance provider to see if their plan is waiving the deductible and coinsurance for coronavirus testing.

Cal Powell is the director of communications for the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Authors:
Cal Powell
Experts/Sources:
Lance Palmer
If taxpayers are expecting a 2019 tax refund, they should file as quickly as possible according to Lance Palmer, a professor in the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Helenedamage web CAES News
Hurricane Helene: Preliminary damage assessment on Georgia agriculture and forestry industry 10/10/24 Claire S. Kinnard, Matthew Agvent
Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion. This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those related industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs that agricultural businesses will face.
IdaliaDamage CAES News
UGA Extension offers disaster support throughout the state 01/03/24 Emily Cabrera
Georgia’s geographic diversity — from beaches and swamps to mountains and flatlands —makes the state an attractive place to live, but each region is vulnerable to weather-related emergencies year-round. When disasters strike, navigating the milieu of steps to recover and rebuild can be difficult. With a presence in all 159 Georgia counties, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is uniquely positioned to help communities prepare for and rebound from calamity.
Checking Yogurt Label CAES News
Impact of food nutrition labels on retail pricing and consumer purchasing 11/20/23 Emily Cabrera
Do Nutrition Facts labels provide a complete picture of what "healthy" really means? And does the way information is provided on food labels change consumers' perceptions and purchasing behavior? Chen Zhen, a University of Georgia professor in food choice, obesity and health was awarded $794,000 to lead a four-year international study to better understand how the use of supplementary nutrition information on packaged food labels have unintended consequences across the socioeconomic spectrum.
Some researchers estimate up to 70 percent of Americans die without a will, often creating complex legal issues for family members. CAES News
UGA Extension workshop offers free estate planning education 07/17/23 Cal Powell
Estate planning can be intimidating for some, and the statistics bear this out. Some researchers estimate up to 70% of Americans die without a will, often creating complex legal issues for family members. To address the issue, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and Fort Valley State University Cooperative Extension agents are offering a free, virtual workshop on Aug. 1.
Fort Valley State FACS agents Brenda Maddox (left) and Keishon Thomas (right), a UGA Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent in Bibb County, with a client at a workshop for the Georgia Farmers Initiative for Training and Sustainability (GA-FITS) program, which helps Georgians complete estate plans through estate planning education and technical assistance. CAES News
UGA, Fort Valley State Extension team up to provide free estate planning services 02/16/23 Cal Powell
While many people prefer to plan every detail of their lives, planning for death is not often high on the list. The statistics bear this out. According to the most recent data, the rate of Americans dying without a will, called intestacy, is between 40 to 70%, depending on factors such as race and income levels.
UGA students talk with Georgia residents via a virtual connection in the Charles Schwab Financial Planning Center on campus. CAES News
UGA students offer free tax prep services through VITA program 01/31/23 Cal Powell
Beginning Jan. 30, University of Georgia students will again provide free tax preparation services as part of the UGA Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Through a partnership with UGA Cooperative Extension, the program also provides free tax filing services virtually to communities across the state.