Changes to the due dates and extensions of time to file various tax returns and information returns were implemented in a package of regulations the IRS issued on Wednesday (T.D. 9821, REG-128483-15). The regulations reflect statutory changes made by the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015, P.L. 114-41, and the Protecting Americans From Tax Hikes Act of 2015, P.L. 114-113, which adjusted the due dates of many tax returns to ease tax administration. (For a full description of these changes, see “Next Filing Season Will Be Better: Due Dates Have a New Logical Order” in the August 2016 issue of The Tax Adviser.)
The regulations affect taxpayers who file:
- Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement (and other forms in the W-2 series except Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings) (due Jan. 31);
- Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements (due Jan. 31);
- Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, reporting nonemployee compensation (due Jan. 31);
- Form 990 (tax-exempt series) (allowed an automatic six-month extension);
- Form 1041, U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts (automatic 5½-month extension);
- Form 1041-A, U.S. Information Return Trust Accumulation of Charitable Amounts (automatic six-month extension);
- Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income (due the 15th day of the third month following the close of the tax year, automatic six-month extension);
- Form 1120 (corporate tax return series) (due the 15th day of the fourth month following the close of the tax year, automatic six-month extension, except for C corporations with a June 30 year end, which have a Sept. 15 due date until 2026, with an automatic seven-month extension);
- Form 1120-POL, U.S. Tax Return for Certain Political Organizations (automatic six-month extension);
- Form 4720, Return of Certain Excise Taxes Under Chapters 41 and 42 of the Internal Revenue Code (automatic six-month extension);
- Form 5227, Split-Interest Trust Information Return (automatic six-month extension);
- Form 6069, Return of Excise Tax on Excess Contributions to Black Lung Benefit Trust Under Section 4953 and Computation of Section 192 Deduction (automatic six-month extension);
- Form 8804, Annual Return for Partnership Withholding Tax (Section 1446) (automatic six-month extension); and/or
- Form 8870, Information Return for Transfers Associated With Certain Personal Benefit Contracts (automatic six-month extension).
The regulations are effective July 20, but reflect statutory changes that were generally effective for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2015.
—Sally Schreiber (Sally.Schreiber@aicpa-cima.com) is a JofA senior editor.