UPDATE: NY extended the deadline yesterday (Oct 12) at 4 pm, lol. However my point that you need to file before efile closes down still stands!
I hope you all are safe and well after the recent crazy weather! This post is only for people who haven't filed 2020 yet, if you already filed, this doesn't concern you, it's just for the procrastinators :)
You may have heard on the news that the (already extended) tax deadline has been extended from Oct 15 to Jan 3 for people in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida, which includes NYC and surrounding areas, and several counties in NJ and PA. This is true for the FEDERAL government. However, NY, being the crappy brutally taxing state it is, did NOT extend this deadline. So while you have more time to file your federal, NY is not giving you any more time, and you have to do your Federal return in order to do NY so really, you don't get an extension. Please do not delay, get your return done by Oct 15. If that is truly not possible because you were very badly impacted by the storm, let me know and we can work on drafting a request for penalty abatement, but this is not for people who can't legitimately say they were heavily affected by the storm.
PA and NJ, being much nicer states, have followed the federal and extended the deadlines to Jan 3. However, I still STRONGLY urge you not to use this as an excuse to delay if you can help it. Obviously, if your home got flooded, then of course take advantage. But if you are just fine, do not delay. Even though the deadline may be extended, Efile shuts down in early November, so if you wait, you will either have to mail in your return (BAD IDEA!) or you will have to wait til Efile reopens in late Jan, and by then you will be late. Also, I will NOT have a lot of availability to work with you after Oct 15, my schedule is packed with performing commitments in Oct and Nov and I will not be able to guarantee I can help you in time.
So, TLDR, unless you have really experienced serious consequences from these storms and truly cannot get your taxes done in the next month, proceed as though your deadline is still Oct 15. Because for most of you, it really is. I just didn't want to you be mislead by any news stories you might hear that tell you that you have more time, without giving you the full picture. Tough love, I do this because I care about you! :)
I hope you all are safe and well after the recent crazy weather! This post is only for people who haven't filed 2020 yet, if you already filed, this doesn't concern you, it's just for the procrastinators :)
You may have heard on the news that the (already extended) tax deadline has been extended from Oct 15 to Jan 3 for people in the areas affected by Hurricane Ida, which includes NYC and surrounding areas, and several counties in NJ and PA. This is true for the FEDERAL government. However, NY, being the crappy brutally taxing state it is, did NOT extend this deadline. So while you have more time to file your federal, NY is not giving you any more time, and you have to do your Federal return in order to do NY so really, you don't get an extension. Please do not delay, get your return done by Oct 15. If that is truly not possible because you were very badly impacted by the storm, let me know and we can work on drafting a request for penalty abatement, but this is not for people who can't legitimately say they were heavily affected by the storm.
PA and NJ, being much nicer states, have followed the federal and extended the deadlines to Jan 3. However, I still STRONGLY urge you not to use this as an excuse to delay if you can help it. Obviously, if your home got flooded, then of course take advantage. But if you are just fine, do not delay. Even though the deadline may be extended, Efile shuts down in early November, so if you wait, you will either have to mail in your return (BAD IDEA!) or you will have to wait til Efile reopens in late Jan, and by then you will be late. Also, I will NOT have a lot of availability to work with you after Oct 15, my schedule is packed with performing commitments in Oct and Nov and I will not be able to guarantee I can help you in time.
So, TLDR, unless you have really experienced serious consequences from these storms and truly cannot get your taxes done in the next month, proceed as though your deadline is still Oct 15. Because for most of you, it really is. I just didn't want to you be mislead by any news stories you might hear that tell you that you have more time, without giving you the full picture. Tough love, I do this because I care about you! :)