Welcome to the Tax Talk Today COVID-19 Tax Resource Page. During these challenging times, Tax Talk Today is communicating directly with the IRS to provide the community with the most critical and up-to-date federal tax law information and resources. Please review the resources and check back often for updates.

(Updated January 5, 2021)

COVID-19 Special Video Update Report, May 4, 2020

• Hear Tax Talk Today Moderator Alan Pink's Town Hall comments Regarding COVID-19 - FFCRA_&_CARES - MP3 audio
  
  
• FFCRA_&_CARES_Summary (PDF)
  
  
• Read former Tax Talk Today Moderator Les Witmer's Comments Regarding The Early Filing Season
• Read former Tax Talk Today Moderator Les Witmer's Comments Regarding COVID-19 and the CARES Act.
• Read former Tax Talk Today Moderator Les Witmer's Comments Regarding Stimulus Payments
• Read former Tax Talk Today Moderator Les Witmer's Comments Regarding What to Tell Clients If A Deceased Person Received A Stimulus Check
• Read former Tax Talk Today Moderator Les Witmer's Changes for the 2020 Filing Season
  

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• IRS Newsroom
  
  
• Read Tax Talk Today Moderator Alan Pink's Extended Filing Deadline Quicksheet (April 13, 2021)

• Emergency aid granted to students due to COVID is not taxable (March 20, 2021)
  
  
• Face masks and other personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are tax deductible (March 26, 2021) 
  
  
• IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) pledges continued commitment to investigating COVID-19 fraud as CARES Act reaches one-year anniversary (March 25, 2021)
  
  
• Tax Day for individuals extended to May 17: Treasury, IRS extend filing and payment deadline (March 17, 2021)
  
  
• IRS begins delivering third round of Economic Impact Payments to Americans (March 12, 2021)
  
  
• Tax Time Guide: Didn't get Economic Impact Payments? Check eligibility for Recovery Rebate Credit (March 2, 2021)
  
  
• New IRS form available for self-employed individuals to claim COVID-19 sick and family leave tax credits under FFCRA (February 8, 2021)
  
  
• Educators can now deduct out-of-pocket expenses for COVID-19 protective items (February 4, 2021)
  
  
• New law extends COVID tax credit for employers who keep workers on payroll (January 26, 2021) 
  
  
• National Taxpayer Advocate delivers Annual Report to Congress; focuses on taxpayer impact of COVID-19 and IRS funding needs (January 13, 2021)
  
  
• IRS releases 2020 Progress Update; annual report details unprecedented year (January 5, 2021)
  
  
• National Tax Security Awareness Week, Day 5: Security Summit alerts tax professionals to potential telework scams during COVID-19, urges all practitioners to use multi-factor authentication (December 4, 2020)
  
  
• Security Summit partners announce National Tax Security Awareness Week dates; urge increased security measures as fraudsters exploit COVID-19 concern (November 19, 2020)
  
  
• Security Summit partners warn taxpayers of new COVID-related text scam (November 4, 2020)
  
  
• IRS makes it easier to set up payment agreements; offers other relief to taxpayers struggling with tax debt (November 2, 2020)
  
  
• IRS highlights employer credits for businesses during Small Business Week (September 24, 2020)
  
  
• IRS releases state-by-state breakdown of nearly 9 million non-filers who will be mailed letters about Economic Impact Payments (September 17, 2020)
  
  
• IRS grants additional relief for rehabilitation credit deadlines (July 30, 2020)
  
  
• National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins delivers her first report to Congress; identifies COVID-19 challenges, CARES Act, and Taxpayer First Act implementation as priority issues for taxpayer (June 29, 2020)
  
  
• IRS announces rollover relief for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts that were waived under the CARES Act (June 23, 2020)
  
  
• Relief for taxpayers affected by COVID-19 who take distributions or loans from retirement plans (June 19, 2020)
  
  
• IRS provides answers about Coronavirus related tax relief for Qualified Opportunity Funds and investors (June 3, 2020)
  
  
• Economic Impact Payments being sent by prepaid debit cards, arrive in plain envelope; IRS.gov answers frequently asked questions (May 27, 2020)
  
  
• Treasury, IRS release latest state-by-state Economic Impact Payment figures for May 22, 2020
  
  
• IRS expands partner materials for Economic Impact Payments; continues sweeping effort to share details in multiple languages (May 15, 2020)
  
  
• Why the Economic Impact Payment amount could be different than anticipated (May 11, 2020)
  
  
• IRS: Three new credits are available to many businesses hit by COVID-19 (May 7, 2020)
  
  
• IRS retools Settlement Days program in response to COVID-19 pandemic; allows unrepresented taxpayers to settle their cases virtually and reach finality (May 5, 2020)
  
  
• AICPA State Tax Filing Relief Chart for Coronavirus
  
  
• Use IRS Non-Filers: Enter Payment Here tool to get Economic Impact Payment; many low-income, homeless qualify (April 28, 2020)
  
  
• IRS enhances Get My Payment online application to help taxpayers (April 26, 2020)
  
  
• VA, SSI recipients with eligible children need to act by May 5 to quickly add money to their automatic Economic Impact Payment; 'Plus $500 Push' continues (April 24, 2020)
  
  
• Treasury, IRS deliver 88 million Economic Impact Payments in first three weeks, release state-by-state Economic Impact Payment figures (April 24, 2020)
  
  
• Treasury, IRS announce cross-border tax guidance related to travel disruptions arising from the COVID-19 emergency (April 21, 2020)
  
  
• SSA, RRB recipients with eligible children need to act by Wednesday to quickly add money to their automatic Economic Impact Payment; IRS asks for help in the "Plus $500 Push" (April 20, 2020)
  
  
• Veterans Affairs recipients will receive automatic Economic Impact Payments; Step follows work between Treasury, IRS, VA (April 17, 2020)
  
  
• IRS: Free File use soars; taxpayers still have time to do their taxes for free (April 16, 2020)
  
  
• Supplemental Security Income recipients will receive automatic Economic Impact Payments; step follows work between Treasury, IRS, Social Security Administration (April 15, 2020)
  
  
• Treasury, IRS unveil online application to help with Economic Impact Payments; Get My Payment allows people to provide direct deposit information and gives payment date (April 15, 2020)
  
  
• Treasury, IRS launch new tool to help non-filers register for Economic Impact Payments (April 10, 2020)
  IR-2020-69: To help millions of people, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today launched a new web tool allowing quick registration for Economic Impact Payments for those who don't normally file a tax return.
  
  
• IRS urges taxpayers to use electronic options; outlines online assistance (April 9, 2020)
  IR-2020-68: IRS urges taxpayers to use electronic options; outlines online assistance.
  
  
• IRS provides guidance under the CARES Act to taxpayers with net operating losses (April 9, 2020)
  IR-2020-67: The Internal Revenue Service today issued guidance providing tax relief under the CARES Act for taxpayers with net operating losses. Recently the IRS issued tax relief for partnerships filing amended returns.
  
  
• IRS extends more tax deadlines to cover individuals, trusts, estates corporations and (April 9, 2020)
  IR-2020-66: To help taxpayers, the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service announced today that Notice 2020-23 extends additional key tax deadlines for individuals and businesses
  
  
• IRS issues warning about Coronavirus-related scams; watch out for schemes tied to economic impact payments (April 2, 2020)
  The Internal Revenue Service today urged taxpayers to be on the lookout for a surge of calls and email phishing attempts about the Coronavirus, or COVID-19. These contacts can lead to tax-related fraud and identity theft.
  
  
• IRS extends deadline for 2021 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel applications, adds new members for the 2020 panel (April 1, 2020)
  The IRS has extended the deadline for members of the public to apply for membership on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel for 2021. Individuals may submit a TAP application online at www.improveirs.org through April 20, 2020.
  
  
• IRS: Employee Retention Credit available for many businesses financially impacted by COVID-19
  (March 31, 2020)
  The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today launched the Employee Retention Credit, designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll.
  
  
• Economic impact payments: What you need to know
  (March 30, 2020)
  The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people.
  
  
• Statement by Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin on the Passage of the CARES Act
  (March 27, 2020)
  
  
• Longtime tax pro Erin Collins begins as new National Taxpayer Advocate; Collins takes on job early to help with COVID-19 response (March 27, 2020) The Internal Revenue Service today announced Erin M. Collins will start her term as the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) on Monday, March 30, and lead the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS.
  
  
• IRS unveils new People First Initiative; COVID-19 effort temporarily adjusts, suspends key compliance program (March 25, 2020) To help people facing the challenges of COVID-19 issues, the Internal Revenue Service announced today a sweeping series of steps to assist taxpayers by providing relief on a variety of issues ranging from easing payment guidelines to postponing compliance actions.
  
  
• IRS Operations During COVID-19: Mission-critical functions continue
  (March 24, 2020)
  This page provides an overview of changes related to IRS operations and guidance for taxpayers during this period.
  
  
• Filing and Payment Deadline Extended to July 15, 2020 - Updated Statement
  (March 21, 2020)
  The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced today that the federal income tax filing due date is automatically extended from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020.
  
  
• Coronavirus: Resources, Updates, and What You Should Know (US Dept. Treasury)
  (March 17, 2020)
  
  
• Assistance For Small Business
  The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.  Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.
  
  
• Filing and Payment Deadlines Questions and Answers
  These Q&As address the federal filing and payment extension to July 15 due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. These Q&As currently include information on the additional extension to Oct. 15, first quarter estimated tax payments, IRAs and HSAs.
  
  
• The IRS will continue to monitor issues related to the COVID-19 outbreak, and post updates on the special coronavirus page at: IRS.gov/coronavirus
  
  
• Notice 2020-18: Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
  
  
• Notice 2020-15: High deductible health plans and expenses related to COVID-19