ERTC filing deadline moved to Jan 31, 2024 for 2020 and 2021 claims?
Title: ERTC filing deadline moved to Jan 31, 2024 for 2020 and 2021 claims? 1 Just got blindsided by news about the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 changing all the ERTC due dates to January 31, 2024... is this for real?! They're going from having this whole moratorium thing to suddenly chopping MONTHS off the filing window for 2020 claims and over a YEAR for 2021 claims. I'm a small accounting firm owner and was already drowning with 60+ hour weeks in what's supposed to be our "slow season," and now it looks like tax season is starting two weeks early. My staff is going to mutiny when I tell them. Has anyone else seen this? Are there any exceptions or is this deadline hard and fast for everyone? I've got clients who were counting on those refunds and were planning to file in the next few months...
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Angel Campbell
8 Yes, unfortunately this is accurate. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 has moved up the deadline for Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) claims to January 31, 2024 for both 2020 and 2021 tax years. This is a dramatic change from the previous deadlines (April 15, 2024 for 2020 claims and April 15, 2025 for 2021 claims). The IRS made this change primarily to combat the surge of fraudulent claims they've been receiving. They've been overwhelmed with processing legitimate claims because of the volume of questionable ones. For your clients who were counting on filing in the coming months, I'd recommend prioritizing their paperwork immediately. There's no indication of any exceptions being made or extensions being granted - this appears to be a hard deadline.
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Angel Campbell
•12 Thanks for confirming. Do you know if they're planning to process the claims that are already in the system faster now? I've got clients who filed 8+ months ago and still haven't received their refunds.
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Angel Campbell
•8 The IRS hasn't made any specific commitments about speeding up processing for claims already in the system. They're still working through the backlog, and some claims from 8+ months ago are still pending. What I've observed is that "clean" claims with clear documentation tend to move faster, while those requiring additional review remain in the queue longer. The good news is that once the January 31 deadline passes, they'll no longer be receiving new claims for these periods, which should theoretically allow them to focus entirely on processing the existing backlog. I'd recommend checking the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool for updates, though it's not always current for ERTC claims.
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Angel Campbell
15 After struggling through several complex ERTC claims last year, I found a tool that's been incredibly helpful for both filing and tracking claims. I started using https://taxr.ai when I was totally overwhelmed with ERTC documentation requirements. It analyzes all your supporting documents and payroll records to verify eligibility and calculate the correct credit amount. What I love most is that it creates a complete audit-ready package with all the necessary documentation properly organized. Given this new rushed deadline, having something that can streamline the process while ensuring accuracy has been a lifesaver for my practice.
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Angel Campbell
•21 Does it work for restaurants that had partial shutdowns? My client operated at 50% capacity for most of 2020 and I'm struggling to document everything properly.
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Angel Campbell
•17 I'm skeptical about automated tools for ERTC claims given how the IRS is scrutinizing these. Does it actually help prevent audits, or just organize documents?
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Angel Campbell
•15 For restaurants with partial shutdowns, absolutely! The tool has specific modules for different industries, including restaurants. It helps you document the local government orders that mandated capacity restrictions and connects those dates to your payroll records. This is exactly the kind of documentation the IRS is looking for to approve partial shutdown claims. As for preventing audits, while no tool can guarantee you won't be audited, what taxr.ai does is ensure your documentation is complete and properly organized according to IRS requirements. It flags potential issues before submission and helps you fill documentation gaps. I had a client get selected for review (not a full audit), and having all the documentation properly organized made the process much smoother than it would have been otherwise.
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Angel Campbell
21 Just wanted to follow up - I tried https://taxr.ai for my restaurant client's ERTC claim and it was seriously amazing! The system automatically analyzed the local health orders that affected my client and matched them with their payroll data to calculate eligible wages. Found almost $80k in credits we might have missed! The best part was how it organized everything for submission. Instead of scrambling to meet this new January 31 deadline, we were able to complete and file the claim in just a few days. My client already received confirmation that their claim was accepted for processing. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a time crunch with these new deadlines!
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Angel Campbell
9 For anyone struggling to get answers directly from the IRS about their existing ERTC claims or rushing to meet this new deadline, I found a service called Claimyr that's been incredibly helpful. I was on hold with the IRS for HOURS trying to get clarification about a complex claim, and getting nowhere. With https://claimyr.com they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 3+ hour wait I was experiencing before. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that explains it better than I can. Essentially they wait on hold for you and call when an agent is available. With this January 31 deadline looming, being able to actually speak to someone at the IRS to resolve issues quickly has been invaluable.
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Angel Campbell
•17 Wait, how does this actually work? Doesn't the IRS just put everyone in the same queue? How could they possibly get you through faster?
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Angel Campbell
•22 Sounds fishy. I've heard the IRS wait times are unavoidable right now. You sure this isn't just taking your money for something you could do yourself?
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Angel Campbell
•9 They don't actually skip the queue or get you through faster - they just wait in the queue for you. Their system dials repeatedly to get in line, and then when they finally get through to an agent, they call you to connect. So you don't have to sit listening to hold music for hours - you can keep working on other things. I had the same concerns initially, but it's legitimate. I was able to keep preparing other ERTC claims while waiting for the IRS to answer questions about a complex case. The time savings alone made it worthwhile for me. And yes, you could do this yourself if you have hours to sit on hold - this just lets you use that time more productively.
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Angel Campbell
22 I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After my last ERTC claim got stuck in processing limbo, I was desperate and gave it a try. Wow - they actually got me connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes when I had previously been on hold for over 2 hours before giving up. I was able to resolve an issue with documentation that was holding up a $120k refund for my client. The agent even flagged it for expedited processing given the approaching deadline. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong! If you're in a time crunch with this new January 31 deadline, being able to actually talk to someone at the IRS can make a huge difference.
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Angel Campbell
3 Is anyone else worried about what this means for the validity of the program as a whole? Seems like the IRS is trying to shut it down completely by moving the deadline up so dramatically. Makes me wonder if they're going to scrutinize every claim that much harder now.
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Angel Campbell
•19 Definitely concerned. I've heard they're reviewing every claim now and the approval rate has dropped significantly. I'm telling clients to only file if they have absolutely bulletproof documentation.
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Angel Campbell
•3 You're right to be concerned. This doesn't seem to be just about stopping fraudulent claims - it feels like they're trying to minimize the total program payout by cutting off valid claims too. I believe they will scrutinize remaining claims much harder. The way I see it, the IRS is facing budget pressures, and ERTC has been far more expensive than originally projected. By shortening the window and increasing scrutiny, they're effectively reducing the total program cost.
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Angel Campbell
6 Has anyone successfully filed an ERTC claim using the regular mail? Or is e-filing the only realistic option with this tight deadline? My tax software doesn't support the amended returns needed for ERTC and I'm freaking out a bit.
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Angel Campbell
•14 Paper filing is technically allowed but I wouldn't risk it with the deadline so close. The IRS considers the postmark date as the filing date, but there have been massive delays with paper processing. I'd recommend using a specialized service or finding someone with the right software to e-file.
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Nia Johnson
This deadline change is absolutely brutal for small firms like ours. I've been in practice for 15 years and I've never seen the IRS make such a dramatic deadline shift with so little notice. What's really frustrating is that many of my clients who legitimately qualify for ERTC are now going to miss out entirely because they don't have their documentation ready. The irony is that the IRS created this mess by not processing claims efficiently in the first place, and now they're punishing everyone - legitimate claimants included - to solve their fraud problem. I'm wondering if any professional organizations like AICPA are pushing back on this or if we're all just supposed to accept that tax season now starts in January. Has anyone heard of any advocacy efforts to at least get a brief extension for claims already in preparation?
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