Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes: August-December 2020

And 2020 is still the year of COVID-19. In fact, the deadly coronavirus has been so persistent and there have been so many pandemic-related tax matters, that the original special Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes page was overwhelmed and overflowing.

So I renamed it Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes: March-July 2020 and created this page to finish out the year.

Then 2021 arrived and COVID-19 was still here. Actually, it picked up steam after people decided they were going to escape their self-isolation pods and visit family and friends over the December holidays. So now there's a third special coronavirus tax page named marking COVID/tax posts from for January 2021 until … who knows? Here's hoping we don't need any 2022 versions!

UPDATE, Jan. 1, 2022: This is one time I am not pleased with my prognostication powers. There is indeed a fourth COVID and taxes page, since the coronavirus just will not freakin' let go! Posts in which taxes and the pandemic are connected in 2022 will be found there, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes: January-... 2022.

A couple of things stay the same on all three pages. First, the items are listed with the most recent post first.

Secondly, this page, like its COVID counterparts, starts off with COVID-19 posts from Don't Mess With Taxes because, well, it's my blog! Then the other sections with coronavirus links from official government websites, professional associations, law and accounting firms, and tax policy think tanks follow.

So enough with the housekeeping. Here's the second collection of coronavirus tax+ matters.

8 Q&As about the $600 COVID-19 payments that already are on their way (Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020)
Full 11 weeks of unemployment assistance will be paid even after COVID relief delay led to lapse (Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020)
Special COVID pandemic tax benefits for charitable help (Monday, Dec. 21, 2020)
IRS goal: Issue most 2019 tax refunds by Dec. 31, 2020 (Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020)
Tax reform is a global concern in wake of COVID-19's costs (Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020)
IRS and FBI warn about business cyber scams that target COVID teleworkers (Friday, Dec. 4, 2020)
COVID relief 2.0 could offer some donors a bigger charitable tax deduction (Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020)
Use Form 8915-E to report, repay COVID-related retirement account distributions (Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020)
IRS won't provide blanket tax relief for penalties assessed during COVID-19 (Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020)
Didn't get COVID-19 stimulus money? Nov. 21 is the last day to register for it (Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020)
Watch out for continuing COVID-19 tax (and more) scams (Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020)
IRS offers tax help to those facing COVID money troubles (Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020)
Deductibility of PPP loan expenses: Tax issues remain at federal and state levels (Friday, Nov. 6, 2020)
IRS is resuming issuance of tax balance-due notices (Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020)
In the wake of disasters & COVID-19, will the IRS be ready for the 2021 tax season? (Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020)
Nov. 10 is national COVID economic relief registration day (Friday, Oct. 23, 2020)
10 ways FSA/HSA funds can help you cope with COVID-19 (Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020)
COVID-19 relief payment deadlines are just days away (Monday, Sept. 28, 2020)
COVID EIPs await non-filers nationwide, especially in some NY ZIP Codes (Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020)
COVID tax credits highlighted by IRS during National Small Business Week (Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020)
No 1099-C for forgiven PPP loans, but this tax form still issued in other taxable canceled debt cases (Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020)
State revenue loss due to COVID-19 not as bad as feared (Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020)
1 million+ Californians top list of missed COVID payments (Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020)
Senators push for end of forced deferral of federal employee payroll tax (Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020)
IRS special letter going to non-filers with info on how to get COVID tax relief payments by year's end (Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020)
Federal workers are forced payroll tax deferral guinea pigs (Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020)
Treasury clears up Trump's payroll tax order. Just kidding! (Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020)
IRS approves e-signatures for 10 tax forms, temporarily (Friday, Aug. 28, 2020)
Tax injured spouses to get catch-up COVID-19 payments (Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020)
IRS waives some bad check charges (Monday, Aug. 24, 2020)
COVID-created tax refund interest payments going to nearly 14 million filers (Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020)
IRS stops sending nonpayment tax notices until it clears COVID snail mail backlog (Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020)
W&M chair to IRS: Stop sending COVID-delayed notices (Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020)
IRS knows some recently issued nonpayment notices are wrong. Now what? (Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020)
Get government benefits? Have kids? You get one more chance to claim added COVID cash (Friday, Aug. 14, 2020)
IRS now sending some erroneously denied COVID-19 dependent relief payments (Monday, Aug. 10, 2020)
Trump COVID executive actions sidestep stalled Congressional relief talks (Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020)
Home office tax deduction still available, just not for COVID-displaced employees working from home (Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020)
4 August tax moves to make during pandemic Dog Days (Monday, Aug. 3, 2020)

There also are some posts since the beginning of the pandemic that tangentially reference COVID-19's effects on taxes, but not enough so to make the official coronavirus cut for inclusion on this page.

If you're interested in seeing those, you can browse the new Coronavirus COVID-19 category. The posts above (as well as those on the other coronavirus pages) will show up, too, but just keep scrolling to find others that didn't make this coronavirus tax specific list.

Now to other off-blog resources.

First, there are the official government sites. The image above recommends Coronavirus.gov, which basically is a landing page (like this), so below are my suggestions.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Coronavirus Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payments

Treasury: How the Treasury Department is Taking Action

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Social Security Administration (SSA): Social Security & Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Coronavirus - What the FTC is Doing

Health and Human Services (HHS): COVID-19 Portal

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): A guide to COVID-19 economic stimulus relief

Department of Education (Ed): COVID-19 ("Coronavirus") Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response (note the rumor control section)

U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS): Coronavirus/COVID-19 Related Scams

USA.gov: Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19

And, of course, there are other sites following the pandemic's tax effects.

Many of my fellow tax bloggers are doing great jobs tracking the intricacies of COVID-19 tax changes. So are the members of the great #TaxTwitter community.

But in order to keep this page from following the excessive pieces of coronavirus legislation when it comes to length, I've focused below on web pages posted by professional firms, associations and other taxcentric entities that are providing valuable coronavirus-related tax information and advice.

National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP): COVID-19 Tax News & FAQ

American Institute of CPAs (AICPA): Coronavirus (COVID-19) tax resources (n.b., the state tax roundup)

Thomson Reuters: COVID-19 resource center

Wolters Kluwer: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Tax & Accounting Professionals

KPMG: Coronavirus (COVID-19) tax developments

Deloitte: COVID-19 tax policy updates

EY US: Responding to COVID-19

Grant Thornton: COVID-19 Resource Center

RubinBrown: Coronavirus Preparedness Resource Center

EideBailly: The New Coronavirus (COVID-19) Organiational & Individual Impacts

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP): COVID-19 Tax Policy Resources

The Tax Foundation: Tax Policy And The Coronavirus (note the state-by-state legislative and global country-by-country fiscal measures trackers)

Avalara: COVID-19 Tax Relief Roundup

Employee Benefit News (EBN): Coronavirus Impact

But wait, there are more: Naturally, things will change as the virus itself and our tax reactions to it evolve, so I'm asking for your help.

I know I've missed some good sites. Please let me know. I'll probably see your suggestions sooner if you let me know via Twitter where, in case you don't know, I'm @taxtweet. You also can drop me an email note.

I'll update this page as regularly as I can. You'd think that I'd have more time by essentially being on house arrest during Austin's coronavirus stay-home order, but it seems that the hours in the days also are affected by these bizarre circumstances (and my discovery of new things to stream).

Thanks for your assistance and patience. And, of course, be safe!

Taxes are important, but they are just taxes. The well-being of everyone and your families is everything, the only thing.

Original post began April 4, 2020

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Today's Tax Tip

Tips for first-time filers — Welcome to the tax paying club! The only initiation rite for this large society is filling out your first Form 1040. These tips for first-time taxpayers can make the process a little less intimidating. Even if you're a tax veteran, check them out; some of the advice applies to all us filers. (Jan. 24, 2023)
The 2023 Tax Tips offer ways to file your annual return, along with post-filing advice, important tax news and, of course, ways to cut your current tax year bill. You'll find the monthly assemblages on their own respective pages: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Remember, tax tasks and tips don't stop after you file your annual return!

All About Kay

OK, some about Kay

Kay Bell — Native Texan
(the blog title totally makes sense now, right?). Professional journalist. Tax geek.

My Other Accounts

*************

Tick ... Tick ... Tick

Tax Year 2023 Countdown!

Happy New Tax Year! Are you ready to file your 2022 tax return? Me neither. But at least this year we're getting some extra time to file and pay any tax we owe. Even better, it's not COVID-19 pandemic related. Tax Day 2023 is Tuesday, April 18. This later date is because April 15, 2023, is on Saturday, and the next business day, Monday, April 17, is Emancipation Day.
When this Washington, D.C., holiday falls on the day our federal taxes are due, it bumps Tax Day nationwide to the next business day. So this year, we have until Tuesday, April 18, to finish our federal forms and, if we find we owe, come up with the money for Uncle Sam. The states that follow the federal tax calendar, which is most of them, also tend to abide by this date change.

The countdown clock below should help us from missing out on making important tax-saving moves the rest of this year. Plus, the Tax Moves below the counter will list some timely tasks to take care this first month of 2023, and each of the remaining 11 when they arrive. They'll speed by quickly when you're having tax fun!
Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.

Time for Tax Tasks

🎆 Happy 🎉 New 🥂 Year! 🎆

via GIPHY

Hello 2023! I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you! I know, I said that about 2021 and 2022, but I really, really mean it. And I'm hoping you reciprocate, you brand spanking new year, on the personal front by letting go of COVID-19, and, on the tax side, by making this the year that taxes also get back to normal. Don't laugh. A gal can hope!

Jan. 1: Once more for the official date — Happy New Year! One way to make things more enjoyable on the tax front is to get organized this month. Early this month. It will help you keep track of the myriad tax documents — W-2 earnings statements, 1099 forms, charitable donation receipts, year-end account statements — that will soon be on their way to your email or snail mail box. You'll need those (and more) to file your 2022 tax return as soon as the Internal Revenue Service starts accepting them.

Jan. 3: It's the first official work day of 2023. It's also a deadline for employers, including those who are self-employed, who took advantage of the COVID relief option in 2021 to defer the employer's portion of the Social Security payroll tax; that's 6.2 percent of each worker's wages. If you didn't remit thr taxes before the end of December, today is the absolute final due date for paying the balance of those postponed tax collections.

Jan. 6: It's Friday, the end of the first holiday-shortened work week of 2023. Even though most of us are thinking about filing our 2022 returns when the IRS opens filing season later this month, we also need to start our 2023 tax planning. Start with the inflation adjustments that apply to a variety of tax situations. You can find this year's figures in the ol' blog's 10-part tax inflation series.

Jan. 9: Tonight, TCU's Horned Frogs and Georgia's Bulldogs face off at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to decide the men's college football championship. Thousands of fans are rooting for their teams. Even more people with no personal connections are betting on the game, thanks to the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling to allow states to accept sports wagers. If you're one of those bettors and your pick pays off, remember that you'll owe taxes on your winnings. The good news is that you won't have to share your luck with Uncle Sam until you file your 2023 return next year. The better news is that there are ways to reduce your taxable winnings.

Jan. 10: Do you work as a server at a restaurant or at any other establishment where gratuities from customers are part of your compensation? I hope you got lots of financial thanks for doing your job well, but remember that those tips are taxable income.

Whether you're dining in or, still COVID leery and getting food delivered to your home, if a tip isn't included on your restaurant or delivery bill, click the image above to calculate how much to tip the person who brought it to you.

If you got at least $20 in gratuities in November, you must account for the tips today by using Form 4070 to report last month's tips total to your employer.

Jan. 13: It's the first Friday the 13th of 2023. That might not worry you, but even non-superstitious folks are frightened a bit by taxes. However, on this or any other day, don't fear, or fall for, these 13 scary, but wrong, tax myths.

Jan. 16: Every Martin Luther King Jr. Day, millions of people commit to a day of service.

Click image to find out ways
you can volunteer on MLK Day.
Taking time on the Rev. Dr. King's holiday to volunteer at a charity isn't tax deductible, but some costs associated with volunteering could help reduce your tax bill if you itemize.

Jan. 17: Today is the due date for the final estimated tax tax payment for the 2022 tax year. It's usually on the 15th, but that fell on Sunday. Then Monday was the federal MLK Day holiday. So the final estimated tax payment deadline was shifted to the next business day, Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Jan. 17: This date isn't firm yet, but the IRS and its Free File Alliance partners usually offer their no-cost online tax preparation and electronic filing program Free File around the middle of January. When the special Free File website at IRS.gov is available, take advantage of it if you qualify.

Free File last year was open to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income was $73,000 or less, but that earnings limit should be bumped up a bit for the 2023 filing season. Whatever the amount, the income level applies to all filing statuses.

Jan. 23: If you make too much to use Free File, and don't want to use its Free Forms option, you always can purchase your own tax prep software or high a tax pro to handle your taxes. If you looking to hire someone, get to it now. At this point, if you can find a tax preparer taking new clients, you'll be at the end of the filings list. But at least you'll be on the list.

Jan. 27: It was this week last year that the IRS started accepting and, more importantly, processing tax year returns. If you plan to be among the earliest of filers, you need to make sure you have all the necessary information and documentation. Check out this list of the statements, documents, and forms you'll need before you start work on your return.

Jan. 31: Wow! The first month of 2023 is over? Time really does fly when you're having tax fun. We'll keep it going here in this new year with new Tax Moves to Make each month, which you also can find on their monthly tax tips pages. January already is filling up!

Small Business Tax Calendar: Important filing, deposit and record keeping dates throughout the year that your company needs to know. You can get more tax calendar information at the IRS' online calendar page and view the full year's important business and individual tax dates in IRS Pub. 509.

State Tax Help

Don't forget your state taxes!
Forty-three states and D.C. collect personal income taxes. But even if you live in of the seven states without an income levy, you still face other state (and local) taxes.

State Tax Departments provides links to your state's Web page. The companion page, Tax Tidbits, is the compilation of blurbs about each state's tax laws. And for more state tax news, check out all our state tax bloggings.

Tax Forms

Thanks to our increased use of tax preparers and computer software, many of us don't see our tax forms until we sign and file them. But knowing what's on these documents, either in paper or digital form, and why the IRS wants it is key to understanding our tax system. And knowledge definitely is power, especially when it comes to tax savings. Find this valuable information in the ol' blog's special Tax Forms 2023 page.

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JK Lasser 2023 taxes
Dealing With the IRS
JK Lasser 1001 Deductions
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Kudos Et Cetera

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I gotta tell ya ...

AKA Disclaimer:
I am a professional journalist who has been covering tax issues since 1999.
I am not a professional tax preparer.
The content on Don't Mess With Taxes is my personal opinion based on my study and understanding of tax laws, policies and regulations. It is provided for your private, noncommercial, educational and informational purposes only. It is not a recommendation of any specific tax action(s) you should or should not take. Similarly, mentions of products or services are not endorsements. In other words, my ramblings on the ol' blog are free advice and you know what they say about getting what you pay for. That's why when it comes to filing your taxes, I urge you to get additional, professional, paid-for guidance from an accountant, Enrolled Agent or other qualified tax preparer who is familiar with your individual tax circumstances.

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COVID-19 & Taxes

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc
on the 2020 and 2021 tax seasons.
These three Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes pages have details:
March-July 2020,
August-December 2020,
January-December 2021, and
January-December 2022
You can find medical coronavirus resource links in the next section.

COVID-19 Resources

Need help finding a coronavirus vaccine in the United States?
Call 1-800-232-0233
or TTY 1-888-720-7489.
More information and resources at:
CDC Vaccines
CDC Booster Shots
HHS Combat COVID
USA.Gov COVID Info

January 2023

Tell it to the Hill

While it's easy to rail at the IRS, for the most part we can thank — or blame — our tax laws on Congress and the White House. So if you have an issue with tax legislation or want a tax bill passed, you need to let your federal legislators and the White House occupant know of your concerns. You can find out who in Washington, D.C., to contact (and how), as well as get information on your local lawmakers for matters, tax or otherwise, closer to home, at USA Gov.

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