Relative to CARES Act tax provisions, state conformity to date is varied.
Advertisement
TOPICS / COVID-19
Advocacy & Tax Relief
Guidance issued on payroll tax deferral
The IRS issued guidance on the payroll tax deferral ordered by President Donald Trump on Aug. 8. The notice requires employers to withhold deferred taxes during the period from Jan. 1 to April 30, 2021.
Tools to help nonfilers receive economic impact payments
The IRS provided information and tools that tax practitioners can use to inform individuals who are eligible to receive economic impact payments but did not receive one automatically.
Implementing the payroll tax deferral
We explore the range of issues that Treasury and the IRS face as they implement this order and what it all could mean for employers and employees.
AICPA requests guidance on payroll tax deferral
The AICPA has asked Treasury and the IRS for guidance on the recently announced executive order that defers some employee payroll taxes that would be due between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31.
AICPA encourages COVID-19 tax relief and issues new auditing standards
Recent AICPA advocacy efforts have included requesting tax relief related to the coronavirus pandemic and issuing auditing standards related to audit evidence and auditing accounting estimates.
Executive action delays workers’ payroll tax payments
President Donald Trump issued presidential memorandum to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of certain payroll taxes paid from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020.
AICPA continues to ask Congress to include PPP deductibility in upcoming legislation
In a letter dated Aug. 4, 2020, the AICPA joined over 170 organizations to urge Congress to “include a technical correction addressing the tax treatment of loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)” in its next round of legislation addressing the coronavirus pandemic.
Guidance on recapture of excess employment tax credits
The IRS issued temporary and proposed regulations on how it will recapture excess credits taken by employers under recent coronavirus relief legislation.
AICPA urges Congress to act on PPP issues, other topics in pandemic legislation
In a letter to congressional leaders on another round of pandemic aid legislation, the AICPA urged action on Paycheck Protection Program issues, tax obstacles to remote work, state and local government funding, and employer liability related to the coronavirus pandemic.
How to report coronavirus paid sick leave and family leave to employees
The IRS issued guidance on how employers should report qualified sick and family leave paid to employees under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
AICPA tax comment letters include pandemic-related advocacy
The AICPA Tax Policy and Advocacy team produced six tax-related comment letters in June with a goal of assisting accounting professionals and taxpayers.
A tax marathon check-in
Ed Karl and Chris Hesse update us on how the 2020 marathon of a tax return filing season is going, whether the coronavirus-related return due date delay until July 15 is long enough, and what other relief taxpayers and their CPAs need.
IRS will not postpone July 15 deadline
The IRS announced that it will not further postpone federal tax filing and payment deadlines beyond July 15.
Qualified opportunity zone rules are relaxed
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS further postponed the 180-day deadline to invest in a qualified opportunity fund from July 15, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2020, extended other deadlines, and relaxed some qualified investment rules.
COVID-19 tax guidance for businesses
The IRS provided guidance on how businesses can take advantage of CARES Act tax provisions.
IRS grants relief for COVID-19 disruptions on tax residency
Time rules are eased for the substantial presence test for foreign citizens in the US and the foreign earned income exclusion for US citizens abroad.
IRS posts FAQs on paid COVID-19-related sick and family leave
Employer tax credits for small businesses are provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
IRS allows midyear changes to health coverage, dependent care elections
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the IRS is allowing employers to permit their employees to change their health coverage elections or dependent care elections during the year and is extending the carryover period for health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) expenses.
AICPA proposes broad range of tax relief to aid economic recovery
The AICPA has made a broad range of legislative recommendations to encourage economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Features
FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
Building a better CPA firm: Stepping up service offerings
A key step in business model modernization is determining how to implement services that satisfy clients and employees.
From The Tax Adviser
August 30, 2025
2025 tax software survey
July 31, 2025
