COVID-19: An Important Tax & Operational Update

March 20, 2020

Stambaugh Ness_SquareA Message to Our Clients:

As we continue to adapt to the impact of COVID-19, frequent change is becoming part of our new normal. On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf mandated that effective 3/19/20 at 8:00 p.m., all non-life sustaining businesses in the state are to be closed until further notice.

As a result of this mandate, we have additional operational and tax updates to share with you:

IRS Due Date– On 3/20/20 Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced that the tax filing deadline will be moved from April 15th to July 15th. This allows for all taxpayers and businesses to have additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties.

Temporary Office Closure – Our York, PA office will remain closed until further notice. All employees will be working remotely during this time and will be accessible by phone or email. We will communicate any changes in these arrangements as soon as they are determined.

Changes Regarding Receipt of Tax Information, as of Thursday, March 19:

  • Stambaugh Ness will no longer accept paper documents via in-person drop off, regular U.S. Postal Service, or Fed-Ex.
  • Only electronic documents will be accepted through Sharefile, our secure electronic transfer site. If you are unable to utilize electronic options, please communicate with your SN tax professional as soon as possible to discuss options.

Changes Regarding Delivery of Tax Returns, as of Thursday, March 19:

  • Stambaugh Ness will not be printing and/or mailing paper returns at this time.
  • Returns, where electronic information has been received, will still be prepared and processed, provided that the return can be delivered electronically.
  • Any returns that are not able to be delivered electronically will need to be extended. Your Stambaugh Ness tax professional will discuss this option with you as necessary.

Travel and Client Meetings – While face-to-face meetings are preferred by many, we are temporarily suspending meetings of this nature due to COVID-19 and the increased risk of spreading the virus. Further, we have postponed all non-essential employee travel. We are utilizing alternative means of communication to avoid large, unnecessary meetings and gatherings and are leveraging our video conferencing capabilities to conduct virtual meetings and communications.

Additional Tax Matters

Tax Assistance – Some states have begun to close the Department of Revenue offices and call centers, limiting the assistance available to taxpayers.

State Due Dates – At the state level, numerous states have issues extensions and other forms of relief, for more details on state responses, please refer to the AICPA’s state filing guidance chart.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience these unprecedented changes may cause and will continue monitoring the situation to provide timely updates.

On behalf of the Stambaugh Ness family, we thank you for your understanding, flexibility, and patience during this challenging time. Should you have any questions, please contact a member of your engagement team.

About Stambaugh Ness

Stambaugh Ness is a multi-discipline, professional services firm serving clients nationally with a strategic focus on the architecture and engineering, professional services, construction and real estate, and manufacturing industries.  Through the Stambaugh Ness family of companies, clients have access to a sophisticated menu of services, including compliance, government contract services, strategic tax solutions, technology and cyber risk advisory, data solutions, Microsoft solutions, Deltek ERP software, strategic growth advisory, workforce and talent solutions, outsourced accounting, ownership transition, and mergers and acquisitions.

The firm is an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, a nationwide association of independently-owned local and regional accounting, consulting, and service firms with similar client service goals.