HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — If you delayed filing taxes normally due on April 15 — and got a break when federal officials bumped the deadline out — the red-letter day is almost here: July 15, 2020.
IRS officials joined with United States Attorney Andrew Birge to email both a deadline reminder, and a warning about scams.
Anyone needing an extension should file IRS Form 4868 by July 15, 2020, to get an extension to Oct. 15, 2020.
“Filing an extension provides additional time to file the tax return but is not an extension to pay any taxes due”, said Sarah Kull, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS CriminalInvestigation division in Michigan. “For people facing hardships who cannot pay in full,including those affected by COVID-19, the IRS has several options available to help.The IRS encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov as soon as possible to explore these options and avoid accruing interest and penalties after the July 15 deadline.”
“Our delayed tax deadline is now upon us. Taxpayers should beware of tax and COVID-19 related scams”, said U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge for the Western District of Michigan. “It’s time we fulfill that annual, civic duty. Of course, please do be careful and protect yourself against fraud.”
His tips include:
- Don’t share your personal identification information
- Work only work with a bona fide preparer (or prepare your filing yourself)
- Remember: IRS don’t call or make threats over the phone and won’t spontaneously contact you by email or text message.
IRS criminal investigators say they continue seeing “a tremendous increase in a variety of COVID-19 economic impact payment scams and other financial schemes. IRS officials are working with law enforcement officials to find scammers and bring those criminals to justice.
Taxpayers can report COVID-19 scams to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.Taxpayers (https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud) can also report fraud or theft of their economic impact payments to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact.shtml).
Unsolicited (phishing) emails that appear to be from the IRS should be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov.
For the most up-to-date information about the tax filing deadline and IRS impersonators or other scams, taxpayers can visit IRS.gov.
