TRUST INDEX: When is Tax Day? Viral meme, IRS extensions confuse taxpayers

IRS extends deadline for Texans to June 15

SAN ANTONIO – The month of April is synonymous with tax season. Like last year, taxpayers have received an extension to file their taxes with the IRS due to the pandemic, leading to some confusion about when Tax Day is this year.

Adding to that confusion is an online meme that states, “The tax deadline is April 18th. Do your taxes soon.”

The meme, posted in 2018, not only gets the deadline wrong for the year it was posted, but it recently went viral, leading many on social media to believe the meme refers to this year’s tax returns.

Juan Sanchez, managing partner of JMS CPAs, said there are two deadlines to keep in mind for people living in Texas and the rest of the nation.

“Most Americans have until May 17 to file their taxes,” Sanchez said. “However, if you live in Texas, you have an extension ‘til June 15 to do that.”

The IRS said the May 17 extension was granted due to the pandemic, while the extra time given to Texans is due to February’s devastating winter storm.

“We have some clients that don’t really understand the extension and some clients who want to take advantage of the extension. So we try and cater to everyone’s needs,” Sanchez said.

The 2018 meme has been flagged by Facebook and has received a Trust Index of rating of “Not True.”

Not True

After review, we've found this information is Not True.

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