Taxpayers take note: 3 hurdles to upcoming July 15 deadline

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made some changes to reflect the impact of the current coronavirus pandemic. One example is the extended tax deadline. Instead of expecting taxpayers to file their taxes in April, the agency pushed the deadline back. At the time of this post, the deadline remained set for July 15, 2020.

As the deadline is fast approaching, taxpayers may find that they continue to face hurdles that make get their filings sent into the IRS more difficult than anticipated. Three examples of potential hurdles include:

• IRS backlog. The agency currently has a backlog of over 10,000 pieces of mail. Some of these correspondences include information to substantiate tax filing claims. The delay in response from the agency could make it difficult for taxpayers to get their returns or could lead to an audit before the agency has had a chance to review its mail.
• Offices remain closed. Taxpayers looking for assistance with their filings may find it difficult to find help as many tax offices throughout the country remain closed. This may make it difficult to finalize returns and get them out by next week.
• Inaccurate due dates. To further complicate matters, as the agency slowly reopens it is sending out mailings that were prepared prior to coronavirus shutdowns. This means that many of the mailings include due dates that have already passed. This could trigger inaccurate accusations of missed deadlines. Taxpayers can reduce this risk by saving the envelope the mailing came in to help back up a claim that the mailing was sent late.

Taxpayers who would benefit from additional time can request an extension through October 15. Those who are prepared to file their returns but not yet ready to pay in the full may benefit from various payment options.