Covid-19

Resources

COVID-19 Business Information: Check out our new Business page here for more important information

COVID-19 Individual Information: Check out our new Individual page here for more important information

*Shelter in Place Order Extended for Six Bay Area Counties

Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties

Santa Clara County - Phase 2

Will allow new categories of business to re open, subject to specific conditions and limitations
Retail stores may open, but only for curbside/ outside pickups
Car parades are allowed as long as participants say in their cars

County of Santa Clara Order
News Article as of 04/2720

Current Scams related to COVID-19

Medicare Scams

Scammers may call and offer things like COVID-19 kits, or benefits related to the virus
They will ask to verify your bank information before sending you the above mentioned items

Relief Payment Messages From "Government Agencies"

The FTC is getting reports about fraudulent calls, texts, and emails coming from people pretending to be from Social Security, IRS, Census, USCIS, and the FDIC
If you respond they may ask for money, personal information, or both

Federal Trade Commission: Videos to avoid scams (as of 06/01/20)
FDIC Website (Scams as of 04/10/20)
News Article (as of 04/14/20)

Cares Act

Direct payments - payments made to taxpayers as a stimulus based off your income
Unemployment - Expands eligibility and offers workers an additional $600 per week for four months
Payroll taxes - Employers can delay payment portion of 2020 payroll taxes until 2021 & 2022
Use of retirement funds - Waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty for distributions up to $100,000 for Coronavirus related purposes
RMDs suspended - Required minimum distributions from IRAs and 401(k) (at age 72) are suspended
Small business relief - Companies who maintain their payroll can receive up to 8 weeks of cash-flow assistance
Employee retention credit - Employers subject to closure due to COVID-19 are eligible for a refundable payroll tax credit equal to 50% of qualified wages with respect to each employee. The maximum wages per employee that can be taken into account for all quarters an employer may be eligible for this credit is $10,000
Creates a new "above-the-line" deduction for up to $300 of charitable cash contributions in 2020, this write-off is only available to people who take the standard deduction

Cares Act Bill
News article (as of 03/29/20)

CA Commissioner Orders Insurance Companies to Refund Premiums to Drivers

Covers premiums paid for at least March/ April, will extend through May if shelter in place continues
Insurance companies will have no later than August to comply

News article (04/13/20)

IRS tax filing and payment deadline pushed back to July 15

IRS pushed back tax payments 90 days to July 15
The deadline to file was just pushed back 90 days as well to July 15 (updated 03/20/20)
2020 1st quarter estimated taxes also now due July 15
IRS has pushed back the deadline to make 2019 IRA or HSA contributions to July 15 *NEW
The IRS is currently unable to process paper tax returns, respond to paper correspondence, or staff toll-free live service lines (as of 04/13/20)

FTB News releases (as of 03/18/20)

Property Taxes - County of Santa Clara

April 10th deadline is not extended, but penalties will be waived due to reasonable cause and circumstance
Property owners can take advantage of a partial payment option

Department of Tax and Collections (as of 03/18/20)

Executive Order Protecting Homes, Smalls Business from Water Shutoffs

Governor Newsom signed an executive order that will restrict water shutoffs to homes and small business
The order protects consumer who may not be able to pay for their water service from shutoffs

Order Protecting Water shutoffs (as of 04/02/20)

California Governor Issues Stay at Home Order throughout the State of California

Executive order banning the enforcement of eviction orders for renters by COVID-19 through May 31, 2020
Prohibits landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent