IRS 2020 Tax Payment Extensions Details

Today, the IRS provided the full details of the tax payment extension in Notice 2020-17.

The notice provides that individuals may defer up to $1 million of Federal income tax payments ($10 million for corporations) until July 15, 2020. For this purpose, Federal income tax payments include the final payment for the 2019 tax year AND any quarterly estimated tax payment due on April 15, in the aggregate. Taxpayers do not get a separate deferral amount for each tax year.

The tax payment deferral only applies to Federal income tax payments and for now, the due date for Federal tax returns are not delayed.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your advisor.

CONCLUSION

Outguessing markets is more difficult than many investors might think. While favorable timing is theoretically possible, there isn’t much evidence that it can be done reliably, even by professional investors. The positive news is that investors don’t need to be able to time markets to have a good investment experience. Over time, capital markets have rewarded investors who have taken a long-term perspective and remained disciplined in the face of short-term noise. By focusing on the things they can control (like having an appropriate asset allocation, diversification, and managing expenses, turnover, and taxes) investors can better position themselves to make the most of what capital markets have to offer.

[1]. In US dollars. Source: Dimensional, using data from Bloomberg LP. Includes primary and secondary exchange trading volume globally for equities. ETFs and funds are excluded. Daily averages were computed by calculating the trading volume of each stock daily as the closing price multiplied by shares traded that day. All such trading volume is summed up and divided by 252 as an approximate number of annual trading days.

[2]. Mutual Fund Landscape 2019.

Source: Dimensional Fund Advisors LP. Indices are not available for direct investment. Their performance does not reflect the expenses associated with the management of an actual portfolio. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of market loss. There is no guarantee investment strategies will be successful. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Investors should talk to their financial advisor prior to making any investment decision. There is always the risk that an investor may lose money. A long-term investment approach cannot guarantee a profit. All expressions of opinion are subject to change. This article is distributed for informational purposes, and it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, products, or services. Robert Merton provides consulting services to Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.