WASHINGTON — During Small Business Week, Sept. 22-24, the Internal Revenue Service wants individuals to consider taking the home office deduction if they qualify. The benefit may allow taxpayers working from home to deduct certain expenses on their tax return.

The home office deduction is available to qualifying self-employed taxpayers, independent contractors and those working in the gig economy. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the business use of home deduction from 2018 through 2025 for employees. Employees who receive a paycheck or a W-2 exclusively from an employer are not eligible for the deduction, even if they are currently working from home.

Qualifying for a deduction

There are two basic requirements to qualify for the deduction. The taxpayer needs to use a portion of the home exclusively for conducting business on a regular basis and the home must be the taxpayer’s principal place of business.

To claim the deduction, a taxpayer must use part of their home for one of the following:

• Exclusively and regularly as a principal place of business for a trade or business
• Exclusively and regularly as a place where patients, clients or customers are met in the normal course of a trade or business
• As a separate structure that’s not attached to a home that is used exclusively and regularly in connection with a trade or business
• On a regular basis for storage of inventory or product samples used in a trade or business of selling products at retail or wholesale
• For rental use
• As a daycare facility

The term “home” for purposes of this deduction:

• Includes a house, apartment, condominium, mobile home, boat or similar property
• Includes structures on the property, like an unattached garage, studio, barn or greenhouse
• Doesn’t include any part of the taxpayer’s property used exclusively as a hotel, motel, inn or similar business

Qualified expenses

Deductible expenses for business use of home normally include the business portion of real estate taxes, mortgage interest, rent, casualty losses, utilities, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, and repairs. In general, a taxpayer may not deduct expenses for the parts of their home not used for business; for example, expenses for lawn care or painting a room not used for business.

Claiming the deduction

A taxpayer can use either the regular or simplified method to figure the home office deduction.

Using the regular method, qualifying taxpayers compute the business use of home deduction by dividing expenses of operating the home between personal and business use. Self-employed taxpayers filing IRS Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship) first figure this deduction on Form 8829, Expenses for Business Use of Your Home.

Using the Simplified Option, qualifying taxpayers use a prescribed rate of $5 per square foot of the portion of the home used for business (up to a maximum of 300 square feet) to figure the business use of home deduction. A taxpayer claims the deduction directly on IRS Schedule C. Revenue Procedure 2013-13 (PDF) provides complete details of this safe harbor method.

Daycare facilities

Taxpayers who use their home on a regular basis for providing daycare may be able to claim a deduction for part of the home even if it is used as the same space for nonbusiness purposes. To qualify, both of the following requirements must be met:

• The business must provide daycare for children, people age 65 or older, or people who are physically or mentally unable to care for themselves.
• The business must have applied for, been granted, or be exempt from having a license, certification, registration, or approval as a daycare center or as a family or group daycare home under state law.

Additional resources

• IRS Publication 587, Business Use of Home (Including Use by Daycare Providers)
• Form 8829, Expenses for Business Use of Your Home

Qualified individuals affected by COVID-19 may be able to withdraw up to $100,000 from their eligible retirement plans, including IRAs, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 30, 2020.

These coronavirus-related distributions aren’t subject to the 10% additional tax that generally applies to distributions made before reaching age 59 and a half, but they are still subject to regular tax. Taxpayers can include coronavirus-related distributions as income on tax returns over a three-year period. They must repay the distribution to a plan or IRA within three years.

Some plans may have relaxed rules on plan loan amounts and repayment terms. The limit on loans made between March 27 and Sept. 22, 2020 is raised to $100,000. Plans may suspend loan repayments due between March 27 and Dec. 31, 2020.

Qualifications for relief
The law defines a qualifying person as someone who:

• Has tested positive and been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Has a dependent or spouse who has tested positive and been diagnosed with COVID-19
  Experiences financial hardship due to them, their spouse or a member of their household:
  • Being quarantined, furloughed or laid off or having reduced work hours
  • Being unable to work due to lack of childcare
  • Closing or reducing hours of a business that they own or operate
  • Having pay or self-employment income reduced
  • Having a job offer rescinded or start date for a job delayed

Employers can choose whether to implement these coronavirus-related distribution and loan rules.Qualified individuals can claim the tax benefits of coronavirus-related distribution rules even if plan provisions aren’t changed. Administrators can rely on an individual’s certification that they’re a qualified person.

Required minimum distributions
People who already took a required minimum distribution from certain retirement accounts in 2020 can now roll those funds back into a retirement account.

The 60-day rollover period has been extended to Aug. 31, 2020.

Under the relief, taxpayers with required minimum distributions from certain retirement plans can skip them this year. Distributions that can be skipped were due in 2020 from a defined-contribution retirement plan. These include a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, as well as an IRA. Among the people who can skip them are those who would have had to take the first distribution by April 1, 2020. This waiver does not apply to defined-benefit plans.

More information
Guidance for Coronavirus-Related Distributions and Loans from Retirement Plans Under the CARES Act
Coronavirus-related relief for retirement plans and IRAs questions and answers
Guidance on Waiver of 2020 Required Minimum Distributions

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1. Form 1040-X e-file coming this summer; major milestone for electronic returns

Later this summer, tax professionals and taxpayers for the first time will be able to e-file Form 1040-X, Amended U.S Individual Income Tax Return, using available tax software products. Making the 1040-X an electronically filed form has been an ongoing request from the nation’s tax professional community and a continuing recommendation from the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) and Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC). The new electronic option allows the IRS to receive amended returns faster while minimizing errors normally associated with manually completing the form.

“This new process is a major milestone for the IRS, and it follows hard work by people across the agency,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “E-filing has been one of the great success stories of the IRS, and more than 90 percent of taxpayers use it routinely. But the big hurdle that’s been remaining for years is to convert amended returns into this electronic process. Our teams have worked diligently to overcome the unique challenges related to the 1040-X, and we look forward to offering this new service this summer.”

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2. Nationwide Tax Forums course descriptions coming soon

Course titles and descriptions for the 2020 IRS Nationwide Tax Forums will be available within the next week at www.IRSTaxForum.com. The IRS last week announced the cancellation of the in-person Tax Forums and the switch to a virtual format for 2020. Registrants will be able to attend 30 online webinars, which begin in late July.

Registration is now open. Attendees who previously registered to attend one of the in-person IRS Nationwide Tax Forums can transfer their registration to the virtual format. Visit the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums for dates and registration information.

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3. Economic Impact Payments arrive in plain envelope; IRS.govanswers frequently asked questions

The IRS sent a reminder to taxpayers this week confirming that some Economic Impact Payments are being sent via prepaid debit card instead of paper check. The debit cards arrive in a plain envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services.” Nearly 4 million people are being sent their Economic Impact Payment by prepaid debit card.

The prepaid cards provide consumer protections available to traditional bank account owners, including protection against fraud, loss and other errors.

The IRS has developed frequently asked questions to help Americans get answers about their Economic Impact Payments, including those arriving on prepaid debit card. These FAQs include answers to eligibility and other many common questions, including help to use two Economic Impact Payment tools.

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4. IRS provides guidance on income tax withholding on certain periodic retirement and annuity payments

The Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued a proposed regulation updating the federal income tax withholding rules for periodic retirement and annuity payments made after December 31, 2020. In Notice 2020-03, the IRS provided that, for 2020 the default rate of withholding on periodic payments will continue to be based on treating the taxpayer as a married individual claiming three withholding allowances when no withholding certificate is in effect.

Under the proposed regulation for 2021 and future calendar years, the Treasury Department and the IRS will provide the rules and procedures for determining the default rate of withholding on periodic payments when a taxpayer has no withholding certificate in effect in applicable forms, instructions, publications and other guidance.

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5. IRS accepting nominations for the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council until June 12

The IRS is accepting applications for the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC). The deadline to apply is June 12. The IRSAC serves as an advisory body to the Commissioner of the IRS and provides an organized public forum for discussion of relevant tax administration issues between IRS officials and representatives of the public.

More information, including the application form, is available on IRS.gov.

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6. IRS Fraud Enforcement Program adds National Fraud Counsel

The IRS has named attorney Carolyn Schenck as the National Fraud Counsel serving the agency’s new Fraud Enforcement Program. She will help provide advice on the Fraud Enforcement Program’s design, development, and delivery of major activities in support of Service-wide efforts to detect and deter fraud.

“We are very pleased with Carolyn’s selection as the Chief Counsel National Fraud Counsel, which could not have come at a more opportune time,” Chief Counsel Michael Desmond said. “With the critical role the IRS is playing in responding to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID pandemic, having someone with her talent and experience should send a strong signal that those who seek to take advantage of the situation will face dire consequences.”

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7. June 4 Webinar: Circular 230 and Practicing Before the IRS

The IRS will present the webinar, The Office of Professional Responsibility: Circular 230 and Practicing Before the IRS, at 2 p.m. ET on June 4. The 120-minute webinar will consider:

• What it means to “practice before the IRS” and the regulations governing such practice (Circular 230)
• Due diligence obligations under Circular 230 and other key Circular 230 provisions
• Best practices for all tax professionals with respect to clients and the tax administration system

Tax Pros can earn two continuing education credits by participating.

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8. Technical Guidance

The Treasury Department and the IRS provided tax relief for taxpayers that develop renewable energy projects that produce electricity from sources such as wind, biomass, geothermal, landfill gas, trash, and hydropower, and use technologies such as solar panels, fuel cells, microturbines, and combined heat and power systems. Because COVID-19 has caused industry-wide delays in the supply chain for components needed to complete renewable energy projects otherwise eligible for important tax credits the IRS has issued Notice 2020-41 to provide tax relief to affected taxpayers.

The Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued final regulations clarifying the reporting requirements generally applicable to tax-exempt organizations. The final regulations reflect statutory amendments and certain grants of reporting relief announced by the Treasury Department and the IRS in prior guidance to help many tax-exempt organizations generally find the reporting requirements in one place. The final regulations allow tax-exempt organizations to choose to apply the regulations to returns filed after Sept. 6, 2019.

The Treasury Department and the IRS issued proposed regulations to help businesses understand how legislation passed in 2018 may benefit those claiming carbon capture credits. The proposed regulationsprovide guidance on two new credits for carbon oxide captured using equipment originally placed in service on or after February 9, 2018, allowing up to $50 per metric ton of qualified carbon oxide for permanent sequestration, and up to $35 for Enhanced Oil Recovery purposes.

The Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued guidance this week on how the reduction of the personal exemption deduction to zero under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 applies to certain rules relating to the Premium Tax Credit (PTC). These proposed regulations affect those who claim the PTC. Under provisions of the TCJA, the personal exemption deduction is zero for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017, and ending before Jan.1, 2026. Although the amount of the deduction for personal exemptions is reduced to zero for those years, taxpayers continue to include on their tax returns the names and taxpayer identification numbers of individuals for whom they are allowed a personal exemption deduction.

Revenue Procedure 2020-33 provides guidance with respect to the United States and area median gross income figures that are to be used by issuers of qualified mortgage bonds, as defined in section 143(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, and issuers of mortgage credit certificates, as defined in section 25(c), in computing the housing cost/income ratio described in section 143(f)(5).

Due to COVID-19, the IRS’ People First Initiative provides relief to taxpayers on a variety of issues from easing payment guidelines to delaying compliance actions. This relief is effective through the filing and payment deadline, Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

• Existing Installment Agreements – Under an existing Installment Agreement, payments due between April 1 and July 15, 2020 are delayed. Those currently unable to meet the terms of an Installment Payment Agreement or Direct Deposit Installment Agreement may cancel payments during this period with no default. By law, interest will continue to accumulate on any unpaid balances.

• New Installment Agreements – People who can’t pay all their federal taxes can establish a monthly payment agreement.

• Pending Offer in Compromise applications – Taxpayers have until July 15, 2020, to provide additional information for a pending OIC. The agency generally won’t close any pending OIC request before July 15 without the taxpayer’s consent.

• OIC payments – Taxpayers can delay all payments on accepted OICs until July 15, 2020. Interest may accrue, and missed payments are due when the suspension period ends. Taxpayers can call the number on their acceptance letter to address their needs.

• Delinquent return filings – The IRS will not default an OIC for taxpayers who are delinquent in filing their tax return for 2018. However, they should file any delinquent 2018 return and their 2019 return by July 15, 2020.

• Non-filers – More than 1 million households who haven’t filed tax returns in the last three years are owed refunds. The deadline to get refunds on 2016 tax returns is July 15, 2020.  Those who owe taxes on delinquent returns may visit IRS.gov for payment options. The longer the debt is owed, the more penalties and interest accrue.

• Field collection activities – IRS stopped field revenue officer enforcement actions, such as liens and levies. Revenue officers will continue to pursue high-income non-filers and perform other similar activities where necessary.

• Automated liens and levies – IRS delayed issuing new automated and systemic liens and levies. Taxpayers experiencing a hardship due to a levy should reach out to their assigned IRS contact or fax their information to (855) 796-4524.

• Certifications to the State Department – IRS has delayed new certifications of taxpayers who are considered seriously delinquent. This affects a person’s ability to receive a new or renewed passport. Existing certifications will remain in place unless their tax situation changes. 

• Private debt collection – IRS will not forward new delinquent accounts to private collection agencies during this period.

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Low-income individuals are eligible to receive an Economic Impact Payment.  Those who do not have a regular filing requirement can use the free, online tool Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info to quickly and easily register to receive their payment. There is also a Spanish language version of the tool available.

The Non-Filers tool is for married couples with incomes below $24,400 or single people with income below $12,200. This includes couples and individuals who are homeless. Usually, married couples qualify to receive $2,400 while single people qualify to get $1,200. People with dependents under 17 can get up to an additional $500 for each child.

Even if a person doesn’t work, they can still qualify for an Economic Impact Payment. However, if they were claimed as a dependent by someone else, they are not eligible.

If a person is not required to file a federal income tax return, they generally qualify for an Economic Impact Payment. Since the IRS does not know who these people are, the only way they can get the Economic Impact Payment is to register with the IRS.

For those who don’t normally file a tax return, the process is simple and only takes a few minutes. First, visit IRS.gov and look for Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here. Then provide basic information including Social Security Number, name, address, and dependents.

The IRS will use this information to confirm eligibility and send the Economic Impact Payment. No tax will be due as a result of receiving the payment. Entering bank or financial account information will allow the IRS to quickly deposit the payment directly in a savings or checking account.  Otherwise, the payment will be mailed. Information entered on this site is secure.

Who should not use the tool?
Anyone who already filed either a 2018 or 2019 return does not qualify to use this tool. Similarly, anyone who needs to file either a 2018 or 2019 return should not use this tool, but instead they should file their tax returns. This includes anyone who files a return to claim various tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-and moderate-income workers and working families.

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SSI and VA recipients who have children and weren’t required file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 should visit the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool on IRS.gov by May 5.

This will help ensure they receive their full Economic Impact Payment as soon as possible. This tool is available in English and Spanish.

$1,200 automatic payments have started for those receiving Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits (SSDI) and Railroad Retirement benefits. Payments for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and VA Compensation and Pension (C&P) beneficiaries who didn’t file a tax return in the last two years will start soon.

In order to add the $500 per eligible child to these payments, the IRS needs the dependent information before the payments are issued. Otherwise, their payment will be $1,200 and, by law, the additional $500 per eligible child amount will be paid in association with a return filing for tax year 2020.

This group should receive their Economic Impact Payment by direct deposit, Direct Express debit card or by paper check, just as they would normally receive their benefits.
More information related to veterans and their beneficiaries who receive Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefit payments is available at VA.gov.

Social Security Administration and Railroad Retirees
People who receive Social Security retirement, survivors or disability insurance benefits (SSDI) and Railroad Retirement benefits (RRB) should begin getting their Economic Impact Payments this week. This includes those who don’t normally file a tax return.

Beneficiaries who don’t normally file a tax return and have a child but didn’t register on the Non-Filer tool by April 22 will still receive their $1,200 Economic Impact Payment automatically beginning the first week of May. However, since the deadline has passed, by law, the additional $500 per eligible child will be paid after they file a tax return for 2020.

Direct Express account holders can use the Non-Filers tool, but they can’t receive theirs or their child’s Economic Impact Payment in their Direct Express account. They only select a bank account for direct deposit or leave bank information blank to receive a check by mail.

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WASHINGTON – Working with the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service today unveiled the new Get My Payment with features to let taxpayers check on their Economic Impact Payment date and update direct deposit information.

With an initial round of more than 80 million Economic Impact Payments starting to hit bank accounts over the weekend and throughout this week, this new tool will help address key common questions. Get My Payment will show the projected date when a deposit has been scheduled, similar to the “Where’s My Refund tool” many taxpayers are already familiar with.

Get My Payment also allows people a chance to provide their bank information. People who did not use direct deposit on their last tax return will be able to input information to receive the payment by direct deposit into their bank account, expediting receipt.

“Get My Payment will offer people with a quick and easy way to find the status of their payment and, where possible, provide their bank account information if we don’t already have it,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Our IRS employees have been working non-stop on the Economic Impact Payments to help taxpayers in need. In addition to successfully generating payments to more than 80 million people, IRS teams throughout the country proudly worked long days and weekends to quickly deliver Get My Payment ahead of schedule.”

Get My Payment is updated once daily, usually overnight. The IRS urges taxpayers to only use Get My Payment once a day given the large number of people receiving Economic Impact Payments.

How to use Get My Payment
Available only on IRS.gov, the online application is safe and secure to use. Taxpayers only need a few pieces of information to quickly obtain the status of their payment and, where needed, provide their bank account information. Having a copy of their most recent tax return can help speed the process.

• For taxpayers to track the status of their payment, this feature will show taxpayers the payment amount, scheduled delivery date by direct deposit or paper check and if a payment hasn’t been scheduled. They will need to enter basic information including:
  • Social Security number
  • Date of birth, and
  • ailing address used on their tax return.
• Taxpayers needing to add their bank account information to speed receipt of their payment will also need to provide the following additional information:
  • Their Adjusted Gross Income from their most recent tax return submitted, either 2019 or 2018
  • The refund or amount owed from their latest filed tax return
  • Bank account type, account and routing numbers

Get My Payment cannot update bank account information after an Economic Impact Payment has been scheduled for delivery. To help protect against potential fraud, the tool also does not allow people to change bank account information already on file with the IRS.

A Spanish version of Get My Payment is expected in a few weeks.

Don’t normally file a tax return? Additional IRS tool helps non-filers
In addition to Get My Payment, Treasury and IRS have a second a new web toolallowing quick registration for Economic Impact Payments for those who don’t normally file a tax return.

The Non-filers: Enter Payment Info tool, developed in partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, provides a free and easy option designed for people who don’t have a return filing obligation, including those with too little income to file. The new web tool is available only on IRS.gov, and users should look for Non-filers: Enter Payment Info Here to take them directly to the tool.

Non-filers: Enter Payment Info is designed for people who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and who don’t receive Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI), or survivor benefits and Railroad Retirement benefits. Additional information is available at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.

No action needed by most taxpayers
Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for 2019 or 2018 will receive the payments automatically. Automatic payments will also go in the near future to those receiving Social Security retirement, or disability (SSDI), or survivor benefits and Railroad Retirement benefits.

General information about the Economic Impact Payments is available on a special section of IRS.gov: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center.

Watch out for scams related to Economic Impact Payments
The IRS urges taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams related to the Economic Impact Payments. To use the new app or get information, taxpayers should visit IRS.gov. People should watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS will not send unsolicited electronic communications asking people to open attachments, visit a website or share personal or financial information. Remember, go directly and solely to IRS.gov for official information.

More information
The IRS will post frequently asked questions on IRS.gov/coronavirus and will provide updates as soon as they are available.

WASHINGTON — To help taxpayers, the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service announced today that Notice 2020-23 extends additional key tax deadlines for individuals and businesses.

Last month, the IRS announced that taxpayers generally have until July 15, 2020, to file and pay federal income taxes originally due on April 15. No late-filing penalty, late-payment penalty or interest will be due.

Today’s notice expands this relief to additional returns, tax payments and other actions. As a result, the extensions generally now apply to all taxpayers that have a filing or payment deadline falling on or after April 1, 2020, and before July 15, 2020. Individuals, trusts, estates, corporations and other non-corporate tax filers qualify for the extra time. This means that anyone, including Americans who live and work abroad, can now wait until July 15 to file their 2019 federal income tax return and pay any tax due.

Extension of time to file beyond July 15

Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline can request an extension to Oct. 15, 2020, by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using the Free File link on IRS.gov. Businesses who need additional time must file Form 7004. An extension to file is not an extension to pay any taxes owed. Taxpayers requesting additional time to file should estimate their tax liability and pay any taxes owed by the July 15, 2020, deadline to avoid additional interest and penalties.

Estimated Tax Payments

Besides the April 15 estimated tax payment previously extended, today’s notice also extends relief to estimated tax payments due June 15, 2020. This means that any individual or corporation that has a quarterly estimated tax payment due on or after April 1, 2020, and before July 15, 2020, can wait until July 15 to make that payment, without penalty.  

2016 unclaimed refunds – deadline extended to July 15

For 2016 tax returns, the normal April 15 deadline to claim a refund has also been extended to July 15, 2020. The law provides a three-year window of opportunity to claim a refund.  If taxpayers do not file a return within three years, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury. The law requires taxpayers to properly address, mail and ensure the tax return is postmarked by the July 15, 2020, date.

IRS.gov assistance 24/7

IRS live telephone assistance is currently unavailable due to COVID-19. Normal operations will resume when possible. Tax help is available 24 hours a day on IRS.gov.  The IRS website offers a variety of online tools to help taxpayers answer common tax questions. For example, taxpayers can search the Interactive Tax Assistant, Tax Topics, Frequently Asked Questions, and Tax Trails to get answers to common questions. Those who have already filed can check their refund status by visiting IRS.gov/Refunds.

IR-2020-61, March 30, 2020

WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some seniors and others who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the stimulus payment.

Who is eligible for the economic impact payment?
Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns will receive the full payment. For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000 and $198,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible.

Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples. Parents also receive $500 for each qualifying child.

How will the IRS know where to send my payment?
The vast majority of people do not need to take any action. The IRS will calculate and automatically send the economic impact payment to those eligible.

For people who have already filed their 2019 tax returns, the IRS will use this information to calculate the payment amount. For those who have not yet filed their return for 2019, the IRS will use information from their 2018 tax filing to calculate the payment. The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account reflected on the return filed.

The IRS does not have my direct deposit information. What can I do?
In the coming weeks, Treasury plans to develop a web-based portal for individuals to provide their banking information to the IRS online, so that individuals can receive payments immediately as opposed to checks in the mail.

I am not typically required to file a tax return. Can I still receive my payment?
Yes. People who typically do not file a tax return will need to file a simple tax return to receive an economic impact payment. Low-income taxpayers, senior citizens, Social Security recipients, some veterans and individuals with disabilities who are otherwise not required to file a tax return will not owe tax.

How can I file the tax return needed to receive my economic impact payment?
IRS.gov/coronavirus will soon provide information instructing people in these groups on how to file a 2019 tax return with simple, but necessary, information including their filing status, number of dependents and direct deposit bank account information.

I have not filed my tax return for 2018 or 2019. Can I still receive an economic impact payment?
Yes. The IRS urges anyone with a tax filing obligation who has not yet filed a tax return for 2018 or 2019 to file as soon as they can to receive an economic impact payment. Taxpayers should include direct deposit banking information on the return.

I need to file a tax return. How long are the economic impact payments available?
For those concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return, these economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2020.

Where can I get more information?
The IRS will post all key information on IRS.gov/coronavirus as soon as it becomes available.

The IRS has a reduced staff in many of its offices but remains committed to helping eligible individuals receive their payments expeditiously. Check for updated information on IRS.gov/coronavirus rather than calling IRS assistors who are helping process 2019 returns.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the Trump administration is determined to support American businesses and workers.

“We want all small businesses to keep employees so that they can reopen those businesses quickly when its medically sufficient,” Mnuchin told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Monday morning.

He reiterated that any small business with fewer than 500 employees is eligible for a loan amounting to two months of payroll and some overhead and that it will be forgiven if the company keeps its workers or rehires them.

“I assure you that the Treasury will be working with the SBA, that we’re going to add an enormous number of new lenders,” he said. “Basically, this is going to work that any small business can go into a bank very quickly, get the loan underwritten and get the money fast.”

The Senate failed to advance the $1.4 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package on Sunday evening with Democrats saying the bill went too far in helping big corporations and didn’t go far enough in aiding individuals and health care providers. Another vote is expected on Monday.

Meanwhile, Mnuchin also discussed the administration and Congress’ efforts to keep airlines afloat as the economy weighs on the industry.

“There are no bailouts,” Mnuchin said. “This is not about bailing anybody out. There is a special provision that we are in the process of negotiating for airlines. Airlines do provide significant resources and national security issues. We want the airlines to continue to be able to operate domestic air travel.”

Read more at Fox Business here »