The IRS has announced that the April 15, 2021 tax filing deadline has been moved to May 17, 2021.

Individual taxpayers do not need to file any forms or call the IRS to qualify for the automatic change in the tax filing date. Of course, taxpayers needing additional time can file for an extension, giving them until October 15, 2021 to file their return.

The extension includes the ability to pay federal income taxes for 2020 until May 17, 2021; however, the change in the filing date does not impact estimated tax payments for 2021. The first installment on 2021 taxes is still due on April 15, 2021.

State income tax deadlines are set by state laws and may or may not be extended to coincide with the new IRS deadline. Taxpayers should check with their tax professional for guidance.

The IRS is also still struggling to process millions of income tax returns from last year when the filing season was delayed until July 15. Last year's delay in the filing and payment deadline for U.S. income taxes was the first time America's taxing agency has made an across-the-board delay in the deadline that applied to all Americans