Federal Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin previously announced a 90-day deferral for individuals and many businesses in making certain tax payments to the IRS. Separately, recently published IRS Notice 2020-18 has advised that the April 15 due date for return filing purposes will be moved to July 15 to coincide with the 90-day payment deferral, and that there is no limitation on the amount of the payment that may be postponed to July 15.

This special edition reviews similar reactions thus far by several states regarding short-term tax payment and return filing responsibilities implemented because of this pandemic.

Alabama – No Further Updates

Florida – Further Due Date Changes Reported

On March 26, 2020, the Florida Department of Revenue issued two Emergency Orders, the first dealing with sales taxes and the second dealing with property taxes. As to sales taxes, the Order stated that while sales/use tax and other related tax returns and payments are normally due on the first day of the month and are late after the twentieth day of the month, this Order allows taxpayers who have been adversely affected by COVID-19 to extend the due date to April 30, 2020 for sales/use tax and related taxes collected in March; however, taxpayers not adversely affected by COVID-19 continue to be subject to the April 20 deadline. That Order further stated that taxpayers who were unable to meet the March 20 due date for taxes collected in February will have penalties and interest waived if those taxes are reported and remitted by March 31. The phrase "adversely affected" means the business closed in compliance with a state or local government order and had no taxable sales transactions as a result; the business experienced sales tax collections in March that are less than 75 percent of March 2019 sales tax collections; the business was established after March 2019; or the business is registered with the Department to file quarterly. As to property taxes, that Order applies to all 67 Florida counties, and allows payments for the 2019 year to be considered timely paid if made by April 15, 2020 rather than the normal due date of March 31. More information can be found here.

Georgia – No Further Updates

Louisiana – No Further Updates

Maryland – No Further Updates

Mississippi – Further Due Date Changes Reported

South Carolina – No Further Updates

Tennessee – Further Due Date Changes Reported

On March 25, 2020, the Tennessee Department of Revenue issued Notice # 20-06 advising that the Department has extended the due date for filing and paying the Hall income tax from April 15 to July 15, 2020. The Department states in that Notice that taxpayers will have until July 15 to file returns and make payments originally due on April 15; and that interest and late filing penalties will not be applied to returns filed and payments made on or before that extended due date. Further, the Notice references that the October 15, 2020 six-month extension date for the 2019 calendar year remains unchanged. Find more information here.

Texas – No Further Updates