The Department is reminding taxpayers that Iowa has not extended the due date for Estimated Income Tax Payments. The second quarter installment of tax year 2020 estimated income tax for taxpayers filing on a calendar year basis is due June 30, 2020. Additional underpayment penalty relief related to certain 2020 estimated income taxes was granted in Order 2020-03.

On March 23, 2018, President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). Among other changes to the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), this bill included a fix to the so called “grain glitch,” which occurred when IRC section 199 was repealed under Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2018.

The Department of Revenue recognizes travel/hospitality is one of many industries that has been severely impacted by the recent pandemic. This also impacts local governments and organizations in those communities that benefit from Iowa’s hotel/motel tax. The Department collects the tax and distributes the funds back to local governments on a quarterly basis.

Local Government Officials:

The Department of Revenue has received questions from many of you regarding the impact of COVID-19 on local option sales tax collections. We have been monitoring and will continue to monitor the situation. At this time, we have decided not to make any adjustments to the current monthly estimates for Fiscal Year 2020. These include the payments you will receive in May, June, and July of 2020.

Iowa Director of Revenue Kraig Paulsen has announced businesses in Iowa can continue to apply for a deferral of state sales and/or withholding tax.

Governor Reynolds announced the Iowa Small Business Relief Program - which included grants and tax deferrals - on March 23. The Department of Revenue administers the tax deferral part of the program. The first round stopped accepting applications on April 30.

Although a number of tax filing deadlines were recently extended by Governor Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Revenue, not all tax filing deadlines have been extended. The Department is reminding taxpayers that a number of important tax deadlines are approaching soon and taxpayers should meet those deadlines to avoid interest, penalties, or loss of other tax benefits. Unless a deadline has specifically been extended, the regular deadline still applies. This is not necessarily a comprehensive list of upcoming tax deadlines. These important tax deadlines include:

Des Moines, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Revenue announced today conditional penalty relief for taxpayers required to make estimated payments. The changes, prompted by COVID-19, are the result of Order 2020-03, an order signed by Director of Revenue Kraig Paulsen.