2020 Tax Season Deadlines Pushed Back to May 17

P.R. Treasury Department follows suit on federal decision to extend 2020 tax season deadlines

On Wednesday, March 17, 2021, the IRS and U.S. Treasury Department announced the postponement of the deadlines for individual's 2020 income tax returns. In the U.S., individuals can delay filing the tax return and paying the tax due until May 17, 2021. 

Following on the IRS footsteps, the Puerto Rico Treasury Department (PRTD) issued on Tuesday, Administrative Determination No. 21-04 (AD 21-04) to announce the postponement of the deadline of certain 2020 income tax returns and tax payments from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. The local postponement applies to individuals, estates, trusts, corporations, and other entities that have an original filing deadline of April 15th, as established in the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011, as amended.  

For most taxpayers with a tax year ending on December 31 (natural tax year), the filing deadline is April 15. However, AD 21-04 also applies to any taxpayer who must file their 2020 income tax return on or before April 15, 2021, because they have a short tax year or a fiscal year.

Those who need more time to file the 2020 income tax returns (beyond May 17) will be able to request an extension for filing. Such extension request will be for up to six (6) months, until November 17th, 2021.

The extension request allows a taxpayer to delay the filing deadline but does not extend the payment due, which must be paid on or before May 17, 2021. 

Finally, the deadline for making the second installment of the income tax in the case of certain individuals is postponed until November 17, 2021. 

Before DA 21-04, the PRTD extended the 2020 filing due date in the case of informative returns of pass-through entities with a calendar year from March 15th to April 15th.  

Estimated Tax Payments

In addition, the PRTD extended the first installment of the estimated tax payments for 2021, from April 15, 2021, to no later than June 15, 2021. Any taxpayer who chooses this postponement must pay both the first and the second installment of the estimated tax for 2021, no later than June 15, 2021.

The following is a summary of the extensions provided in AD 21-04:

Type of Taxpayer	Income Tax Return and Payment Original Deadline	Deadline for 2020
Taxpayers with an original due date of April 15, 2021.	April 15, 2021	May 17, 2021
Taxpayers with Fiscal Year or Short Year for 2020 with an April 15 deadline.	April 15, 2021.	May 17, 2021
First Installment of the 2021 Estimated Tax	April 15, 2021	June 15, 2021
Second Installment of the 2021 Estimated Tax	June 15, 2021	June 15, 2021
Automatic Extension Request for the 2020 Income Tax Return	April 15, 2021	May 17, 2021
Second Tax Installment Payment for Certain Individuals	October 15, 2021	November 17, 2021

Our tax advisors can help with this and other tax-related topics. Contact them by email at [email protected] or phone at 787-751-6164.