Minnesota Department Of Revenue Pushes 2021 Tax Due Date To May 17
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/CBS News) -- Just after the Internal Revenue Service announced it would move the date federal taxes would come due in 2021, the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced it would impose a grace period for the state's tax filings until May 17.
Minnesota taxpayers can file up to that date without any penalty or interest.
"This grace period for the individual tax filing and payment deadline provides timely relief to Minnesota families," Gov. Tim Walz said. "As we work to get through the COVID-19 pandemic together, my Administration will do everything we can to ease the burden on Minnesotans."
Accountants had asked the tax agency to push back the deadline given the ongoing challenges of the coronavirus pandemic for taxpayers and the IRS, which is still dealing with a backlog of tax returns from last year.
"As Minnesota continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will again provide a grace period for filing and paying 2020 individual income taxes," Revenue Commissioner Robert Doty said. "You do not have to wait until May 17, 2021, to file your return. The sooner a return is filed, the sooner the department can review and process the return."
The American Institute of CPAs this week had urged the IRS to delay the filing deadline, citing the impact of the pandemic on U.S. taxpayers as well as the tax agency itself, which is still trying to dig out of a backlog of returns from the last tax filing season. Lawmakers on Wednesday applauded the tax agency for the extension, calling it "absolutely necessary."
The extra time applies to individual taxpayers, including those who pay self-employment taxes, such as sole proprietors and gig-economy workers, the IRS said. It added that individual taxpayers don't need to file any forms or call the IRS to qualify for the May 17 deadline.