Trump officials considering extending tax-filing deadline over coronavirus: report

The Trump administration is reportedly considering pushing back the April 15 tax-filing deadline as part of an effort to dampen the effects of the coronavirus on American households and businesses.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night, citing two sources, that the administration is likely to extend the deadline. The newspaper reported that no decision has been finalized.

Spokespeople for the IRS and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Hill.

Individuals typically must pay their taxes by the mid-April deadline to avoid penalties or interest charges.

While taxpayers can already request a six-month filing extension, the Journal reported that the actions being considered by the administration would go beyond that.

The administration has been weighing steps to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus on the U.S. economy, as more than 1,000 cases had been reported in the country as of Tuesday.

The IRS said in a statement last week that it was monitoring the coronavirus and had an internal working group to “promptly respond to any emerging situations to protect our employees and taxpayers interacting with the agency.”

“Normal IRS operations are continuing, and we are seeing a strong, smooth filing season for the nation,” the agency said. “Taxpayers should continue to file and submit tax returns as they normally would.”

Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee wrote a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig earlier Tuesday asking for an update on how the coronavirus may be impacting the tax-filing season and the agency’s “continued evaluation” of whether it may need to extend the filing season.