Advocacy News – March 18, 2021
The Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced yesterday that they will delay this year’s federal individual income tax deadline to May 17. For the second year in a row, the pandemic-related extension will give taxpayers a little more time to file. The extension does not apply to estimated tax payments due April 15.
Given the fact that the federal government began processing returns later than normal and the change in the tax treatment of unemployment benefits, the delay is not surprising.
The focus now turns to the state income tax deadline to see if Michigan will follow the IRS’s lead and delay state income tax filings. Last year, Governor Whitmer used her executive authority to issue an order that delayed the tax deadline however, after the Supreme Court ruled Governor Whitmer’s extended use of emergency powers was unconstitutional, it looks like any pushing back of the deadline will require legislation. Treasury could waive penalty and interest to accommodate an extension as well.