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IRS Extends 2021 Tax Filing Deadline To May

It delayed the deadline to give taxpayers, as well as the department itself, more time to cope with changes brought on by the pandemic.

IRS Extends 2021 Tax Filing Deadline To May
Keith Srakocic / AP
Johannah Grenaway
By Johannah Grenaway
SMS
Posted: 9:00 p.m. EDT Mar 17, 2021

The IRS announced Wednesday it's giving Americans extra time to prepare their federal taxes. 

The traditional filing deadline on April 15 will be delayed again, only this year, you'll have until May 17. The IRS will provide more guidance in the coming days. 

It delayed the deadline to give taxpayers, as well as the department itself, more breathing room to cope with changes brought on by the pandemic.

The extension also gives the IRS time to issue guidance on recent tax law changes. The newly passed COVID relief package exempts the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits from federal taxes for most Americans.

Taxpayers who need even more time can request an extension until Oct. 15. However, the new deadline does not push back the due date on estimated tax payments or any state tax deadlines.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.