Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state-declared disaster, upon written request by the state governor.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state-declared disaster, upon written request by the state governor (Sec. 2).

• Increases the automatic extension of federal tax deadlines for certain taxpayers (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that under current law, the IRS may postpone federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a federally declared disaster, including, but not limited to the following deadlines for (Sec. 2):

• Filing federal tax returns;

• Paying federal taxes;

• Making retirement plan contributions; and

• Tax assessments and collections.

• Authorizes the IRS to postpone such federal tax deadlines for taxpayers affected by a qualified state-declared disaster upon written request by the state’s governor (or the District of Columbia mayor) (Sec. 2).

• Defines a state for this bill to include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands (Sec. 2).

• Defines qualified state-declared disaster as any natural catastrophe, fire, flood, or explosion that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a request to postpone such federal tax deadlines (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that under current law, an automatic 60-day extension of such federal tax deadlines applies to certain relief workers, individuals killed or injured as a result of a federally declared disaster, and taxpayers whose principal residence, business, or tax records are located in a federally declared disaster area (Sec. 2).

• Increases to 120 days the automatic extension of federal tax deadlines for these taxpayers (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text