On April 15, Gov. Tom Wolf reviewed the steps taken by the Department of Revenue to extend deadlines and change enforcement policies for Pennsylvanians and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department is offering taxpayers increased flexibility, additional time to meet their tax obligations, and a pause on several of its standard enforcement actions.
“As we all work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it’s critical for us to take action that will provide immediate relief for Pennsylvanians and our businesses,” Gov. Wolf said. “In addition to extending tax filing and payment deadlines, we are giving taxpayers more time and flexibility in other areas so that they can concentrate on their well-being. This is a needed step that will help everyone during this uncertain time.”
This temporary relief for taxpayers will remain in effect through at least July 15, 2020. Details on the specific relief can be found on the Department of Revenue’s website under its COVID-19 information page.
“While people focus on their health and keeping themselves and their families safe during the pandemic, our goal is to ease the burden for our customers and help everyone move forward,” Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said. “We want to help people and businesses make it through this challenging situation.”
The Department of Revenue will:
-- Pause payments for existing payment plans upon requests from taxpayers.
-- Provide flexible terms for new payment plans.
-- Work to boost customer service for taxpayers impacted by the pandemic.
-- Suspend or reduce automatic enforcement actions regarding liens, wage garnishments, bank attachments, license inspections, requirements for tax clearances and use of private collection agencies.
-- Suspend the creation of new desk reviews and field audits in most cases.
-- Suspend in-person meetings with taxpayers in most cases.
-- Broaden audit penalty abatement and interest relief.
-- Continue to administer tax credit and incentive programs.
-- Abate penalties in most cases if taxpayers have remitted trust fund taxes they collected.
Taxpayer Service & Assistance
In addition to the relief announced today, the Department of Revenue also has:
-- Extended the deadline to file state personal income tax returns by 90 days. The new deadline of July 15, 2020 is the same as the new federal deadline.
-- Extended the deadline to file informational returns related to PA S corporations, partnerships, and estates and trusts to July 15, 2020.
-- Extended the due date for corporations with tax returns due in May to August 14, 2020.
-- Removed the requirement for some businesses to make prepayments of Sales and Use Tax for April, May and June of 2020. Many larger businesses are required to make prepayments under normal circumstances.
With the department’s call centers closed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, taxpayers seeking assistance are encouraged to use the department’s Online Customer Service Center, available at revenue-pa.custhelp.com.
You can use this resource to electronically submit a question to a department representative. The department representative will be able to respond through a secure, electronic process that is similar to receiving an email.
Additionally, the Online Customer Service Center includes thousands of answers to common tax-related questions.
Find Alerts from Revenue Online
Taxpayers and tax professionals are encouraged to visit the Department of Revenue’s COVID-19 information page for additional guidance and updates on department operations.
For the latest information on the coronavirus and precautions to take in Pennsylvania, visit the Department of Health’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage, Follow them on Twitter, or Like them on Facebook.
NewsClips/Announcements:
Helpful Links:
Responding To COVID-19 In Pennsylvania - General Resource Page All Topics
Attorney General - Coronavirus Price Gouging Updates
[Posted: April 15, 2020]
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