Tag Archives: april 15

Tax filing deadline is coming up: What to do if you need more time

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“Tax day” is just around the corner. This year, the deadline for filing 2020 individual tax returns is Monday, May 17, 2021. The IRS postponed the usual April 15 due date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you still aren’t ready to file your return, you should request a tax-filing extension. Anyone can request one and in some special situations, people can receive more time without even asking.

Taxpayers can receive more time to file by submitting a request for an automatic extension on IRS Form 4868. This will extend the filing deadline until October 15, 2021. But be aware that an extension of time to file your return doesn’t grant you an extension of time to pay your taxes. You need to estimate and pay any taxes owed by your regular deadline to help avoid possible penalties. In other words, your 2020 tax payments are still due by May 17.

Victims of certain disasters

If you were a victim of the February winter storms in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, you have until June 15, 2021, to file your 2020 return and pay any tax due without submitting Form 4868. Victims of severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in parts of Alabama and Kentucky have also recently been granted extensions. For eligible Kentucky victims, the new deadline is June 30, 2021, and eligible Alabama victims have until August 2, 2021.

That’s because the IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to taxpayers with addresses in federally declared disaster areas. Disaster relief also includes more time for making 2020 contributions to IRAs and certain other retirement plans and making 2021 estimated tax payments. Relief is also generally available if you live outside a federally declared disaster area, but you have a business or tax records located in the disaster area. Similarly, relief may be available if you’re a relief worker assisting in a covered disaster area.

Located in a combat zone

Military service members and eligible support personnel who are serving in a combat zone have at least 180 days after they leave the combat zone to file their tax returns and pay any tax due. This includes taxpayers serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones.

These extensions also give affected taxpayers in a combat zone more time for a variety of other tax-related actions, including contributing to an IRA. Various circumstances affect the exact length of time available to taxpayers.

Outside the United States

If you’re a U.S. citizen or resident alien who lives or works outside the U.S. (or Puerto Rico), you have until June 15, 2021, to file your 2020 tax return and pay any tax due.

The special June 15 deadline also applies to members of the military on duty outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico who don’t qualify for the longer combat zone extension described above.

While taxpayers who are abroad get more time to pay, interest applies to any payment received after this year’s May 17 deadline. It’s currently charged at the rate of 3% per year, compounded daily.

We can help

If you need an appointment to get your tax return prepared, contact us. We can also answer any questions you may have about filing an extension.

© 2021 Covenant CPA

Estimated tax payments: The deadline for the first 2021 installment is coming ups

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April 15 is not only the deadline for filing your 2020 tax return, it’s also the deadline for the first quarterly estimated tax payment for 2021, if you’re required to make one.

You may have to make estimated tax payments if you receive interest, dividends, alimony, self-employment income, capital gains, prize money or other income. If you don’t pay enough tax during the year through withholding and estimated payments, you may be liable for a tax penalty on top of the tax that’s ultimately due.

Four due dates

Individuals must pay 25% of their “required annual payment” by April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year, to avoid an underpayment penalty. If one of those dates falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment is due on the next business day.

The required annual payment for most individuals is the lower of 90% of the tax shown on the current year’s return or 100% of the tax shown on the return for the previous year. However, if the adjusted gross income on your previous year’s return was more than $150,000 (more than $75,000 if you’re married filing separately), you must pay the lower of 90% of the tax shown on the current year’s return or 110% of the tax shown on the return for the previous year.

Most people who receive the bulk of their income in the form of wages satisfy these payment requirements through the tax withheld by their employers from their paychecks. Those who make estimated tax payments generally do so in four installments. After determining the required annual payment, they divide that number by four and make four equal payments by the due dates.

The annualized method

But you may be able to use the annualized income method to make smaller payments. This method is useful to people whose income flow isn’t uniform over the year, perhaps because they’re involved in a seasonal business.

If you fail to make the required payments, you may be subject to a penalty. However, the underpayment penalty doesn’t apply to you:

  • If the total tax shown on your return is less than $1,000 after subtracting withholding tax paid;
  • If you had no tax liability for the preceding year, you were a U.S. citizen or resident for that entire year, and that year was 12 months;
  • For the fourth (Jan. 15) installment, if you file your return by that January 31 and pay your tax in full; or
  • If you’re a farmer or fisherman and pay your entire estimated tax by January 15, or pay your entire estimated tax and file your tax return by March 1

In addition, the IRS may waive the penalty if the failure was due to casualty, disaster, or other unusual circumstances and it would be inequitable to impose it. The penalty may also be waived for reasonable cause during the first two years after you retire (after reaching age 62) or become disabled.

Stay on track

Contact us if you have questions about how to calculate estimated tax payments. We can help you stay on track so you aren’t liable for underpayment penalties.

© 2021 Covenant CPA