Gov. Andrew Cuomo, via modifications to his executive order declaring a state disaster emergency due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, has authorized the state Tax and Finance Department to "abate late filing and payment penalties pursuant to section 1145 of the Tax Law" for a period of 60 days for those required to file returns and remit sales and use taxes by March 20, 2020, for the sales tax quarterly period that ended February 29, 2020.
In other words, the March 20 deadline has NOT been extended, but late fees and penalties will be abated, at least in the short term.
This applies to:
- taxpayers who were unable to meet tax filing, payment, or other deadlines because key employees were treated or suspected to have COVID-19;
- taxpayers whose records necessary to meet tax filing, payment, or other deadlines are not available due to the outbreak;
- taxpayers who have difficulty in meeting tax filing, payment, or other deadlines because of closure orders or similar business disruptions directly resulting from the outbreak; and
- taxpayers whose tax practitioners were unable to complete work to meet tax filing, payment, and other deadlines on behalf of their clients due to the outbreak.
Returns must be filed and the amount due must be paid within 60 days of the due date for this relief to apply.
Additional information about seeking interest and penalty relief can be found here: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/notices/n20-1.pdf