IRS grants 6-month ext.-Virginia Tech

[Kimokeo]

IRS Grants Six-Month Filing, Payment Extension Following Virginia Tech Shooting

IR-2007-90, April 17, 2007

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today granted a six-month tax filing and payment extension to those affected by the shootings Monday at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Va. This relief applies to the victims, their families, emergency responders and university students and employees.

“Taxes are the last thing the Virginia Tech family should be worried about at this time,” IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson said. “Our hearts go out to the people affected by this tragic event.”

The relief announced today allows taxpayers affected by the events at Virginia Tech to have until Oct. 15, 2007, to file and make payments associated with their 2006 individual tax returns due April 17. No filing and payment penalties will be due for those who qualify for this extension as long as the returns are filed and payments are made by Oct. 15, 2007.

In order to claim this relief, taxpayers need to call the IRS at 1-866-562-5227 and identify themselves to the IRS before they file and or make payment.

Please note that taxpayers with questions not related to the Virginia Tech situation should visit IRS.gov or contact the regular IRS toll-free number at 1-800-829-1040.

http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=169572,00.html

Will this set precedence for other disasters and how many family members will claim the 6-month regardless of how-far removed in the family tree?

The action is well intended.

[Nikki]

It's just a ploy by the jack-booted thugs to ...

um ...

Well, ...

It just proves that the shooting was a government smoke screen to draw attention away from the Attorney General situation.

You can find a conspiracy in anything, if you ignore reality.

[hartley]

In order to claim this relief, taxpayers need to call the IRS at 1-866-562-5227 and identify themselves to the IRS before they file and or make payment.

Speaking, though, as one of the people who answers that phone line, we're still not sure how this is supposed to work.

When somebody calls, we will cheerfully put a transaction on their account which notes a 6-month extension.

However, this is exactly the same thing that gets put on someone's account if they had filed a form 4868, the 6-month extension form.

This transaction will *not* stop late payment penalties or interest, just the late filing penalty.

Soo... how, exactly, they're supposed to get a free pass to pay late, my co-workers and I are still not sure about...

Also, we're defining "family member" as *immediate* family. i.e., spouse, parent, child, or sibling.