Higgins announces Treasury decision to delay tax filing deadline amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Both filing and payment now due July 15, 2020

Congressman Brian Higgins on Friday announced U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reported the IRS tax filing deadline for this year is being moved to July 15, 2020.

On March 18, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced COVID-19-related changes allowing for individuals to delay payments until July 15; however, at that time the guidance did not change the April 15 filing deadline.

The new policy announced today moves both the filing and payment deadline to July 15.

“This is the right thing to do,” Higgins said. “Many people are out of work, homebound, and focused on health and safety. This provides the time and space needed to keep the focus where it should be during this emergency situation.”

Higgins urged the Treasury Department to change the filing deadline in a letter sent by the New York state federal delegation and signed onto another drafted by several members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means.

The members write: “We applaud the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for allowing individuals and businesses to defer up to $1 million and $10 million respectively of federal income tax payments until July 15, 2020, without incurring penalties or interest in accordance with the emergency declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This relief will provide a lifeline to constituents and business owners struggling to make ends meet during the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. We strongly urge you to follow this critical first step with a similar extension of the filing deadline for 2019 tax returns.”