As I am sure you know by now, the 2019 tax deadline has been extended to July 15, 2020. We here at Tax Credit Group get a lot of questions about what that means for our clients and their taxes. So now seems like a great time to pull some of those answers together and put them in the same place.
Does that mean I cannot file my taxes before July 15, 2020?
Absolutely not. Just like all tax deadlines, the IRS will not penalize you for filing your taxes early. The extension means that the IRS is giving you until July 15, 2020, to file and pay your taxes without penalty.
What about my state taxes?
Most states have extended their tax deadlines to July 15, 2020, to match the federal deadline, however, a small handful of states have alternate deadlines. Here’s a list according to AICPA:
| Hawaii | July 20 |
| Idaho | June 15 |
| Iowa | July 31 |
| Mississippi | May 15 |
| New Hampshire | June 15 |
| Virginia | May 1 to file, June 1 to pay |
What if I am owed a refund?
If the federal government owes you money, then filing early is not a problem. The IRS will process your refund based upon when you file, not upon the July 15, 2020 deadline. Therefore, if you are owed money, it’s in your best interest to file early and get a refund now.
What about the deadline to contribute to my IRA?
According to the IRS, the deadline to contribute to your IRA retirement account was also extended with the tax filing deadline extension. That means you have until July 15, 2020, to make contributions to your IRA and have them count against your 2019 taxes.
What about the deadline to contribute to my Health Savings Account (HSA)?
The same goes for the HSA.
What about tax estimates for next year?
If you are one of those people that owe taxes every year and pay estimates to off-set what you owe, then you need to be aware of the new deadlines for 2020 tax estimates. According to the IRS, “…first quarter 2020 estimated income tax payments due April 15, 2020, and second quarter 2020 estimated income tax payments due June 15, 2020, have both been postponed to July 15, 2020. Make a single payment in an amount sufficient to cover both your first and second quarter estimated tax payments on or before July 15, 2020.”
The tax deadline was extended to help alleviate some of the pressure taxpayers were feeling because of the novel coronavirus and the business shutdowns that followed. If you have other questions or concerns, you can find more answers to your questions on the IRS website. And if you still need help, you can always contact us here at Tax Credit Group.