fisherman

The Internal Revenue Service announced that it will issue guidance on relief from the estimated tax penalty for farmers and fishermen who are unable to file and pay their 2012 taxes by the March 1 deadline due to the delayed start for filing tax returns.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), which was signed into law in early January affected several tax forms that are often filed by farmers and fishermen, including Form 4562, Depreciation and Amortization (Including Information on Listed Property).

The IRS is providing this relief because delays in the agency’s ability to accept and process these forms may affect the ability of many farmers and fishermen to file and pay their taxes by the March 1 deadline. The relief applies to all farmers and fishermen, not just those who must file late released forms.

Normally, farmers and fishermen who choose not to make quarterly estimated tax payments are not subject to a penalty if they file their returns and pay the full amount of tax due by March 1. Under the guidance to be issued, farmers or fishermen who miss the March 1 deadline will not be subject to the penalty if they file and pay by April 15, 2013. A taxpayer qualifies as a farmer or fisherman for tax-year 2012 if at least two-thirds of the taxpayer’s total gross income was from farming or fishing in either 2011 or 2012.

Farmers and fishermen requesting this penalty waiver must attach Form 2210-F to their tax return and can be submitted electronically or on paper. If you’re a farmer or fisherman and need to request a penalty waiver, do not hesitate to call us. We can help.

• By Leon Clinton
• February 20, 2013