Cases in Virginia
The Virginia Department of Health website continues to update the status of cases in Virginia. For up-to-date information on testing, cases and deaths click here.

What to do if you are sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
If you are sick with COVID-19 or suspect you are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, follow these steps found here to help prevent the disease from spreading to people in your home and community.

Small Business State Taxes
Businesses impacted by COVID-19 can also request to defer the payment of state sales tax due March 20, 2020, for 30 days. When granted, businesses will be able to file no later than April 20, 2020 with a waiver of any penalties. For business owners, Virginia Tax will consider requests from sales tax dealers for an extension of the due date for filing and payment of the February 2020 sales tax return due on March 20, 2020. If the request is granted, filing and payment of the return will be due on April 20, 2020, with a waiver of any penalties that would have applied. However, interest will accrue even if an extension is granted. Virginia Tax has created a COVID-19 information page on the agency’s website to share critical messages with taxpayers. Here’s the link: https://www.tax.virginia.gov/coronavirus.

Any state income tax payments due during the time period of April 1, 2020, to June 1, 2020, will now be due on June 1, 2020. This includes individual and corporate income taxes paid to Virginia Tax. Late payment penalties will not be charged if payments are made by June 1, 2020, however, interest will still accrue.

Official information on COVID-19

Online City Services

Chesapeake Public Schools

Mental Health Tips

Congress has passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which will provide an over $2 trillion stimulus package. I wanted to take a moment to provide you with information on a few important aspects of the CARES Act.

The package provides for direct payments to individuals to be made as soon as possible. The CARES Act allocates:

• $1,200 to every adult who filed taxes and earned less than $99,000 according to their Gross Adjusted 2018 tax return. The benefit begins to phase out at  $75,000.
• $2,400 to a married couple filing jointly who earned less than $199,000. The benefit begins to phase out at $150,000.
• $500 for each child age 17 and under.

The IRS will attempt to use the most recent banking information on file for taxpayers to distribute funds electronically. Failing that, they will issue paper checks. You can find the latest from the IRS on these checks by clicking here.

Homeowners and Renters

Many are concerned about paying their mortgage or rent during the COVID-19 crisis. The federal CARES Act prohibits foreclosures on all federally-backed mortgage loans for a 60-day period and provides up to 180 days of forbearance for federally-backed borrowers who have experienced a financial hardship related to the COVID-19 emergency.

The bill also provides up to 90 days of forbearance for borrowers with a federally backed multifamily (apartment complex) mortgage loan who have experienced financial hardship. Borrowers receiving forbearance may not evict or charge late fees to tenants for the duration of the forbearance period.

Further, for 120 days, landlords will be prohibited from initiating legal action to evict or charge fees and penalties to the tenant if the landlord’s mortgage on the property is in any way assisted by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the rural housing voucher program, or the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

Find information from Fannie Mae here.

Payroll Taxes

The CARES Act also defers payroll taxes. This will allow employers to pay half of the amount required to be paid by December 31, 2021 and the other half by December 31, 2022.

The CARES Act has a number of provisions that are intended to help individuals, families, small and large businesses, and our overall economy during the COVID-19 crisis. The full text of the bill can be found HERE.

Governor Northam issued a new executive order (EO 55) on Monday adding to his previous actions calling on all Virginians to stay home except for essential activities. Specifically, the new order closes all beaches except for fishing and exercise. Groups of more than 10 remain banned, and everyone using the beaches must follow social distancing rules. This order will remain in effect through June 10th unless amended or rescinded by a further executive order. Read the text of the order here.

As previously announced in Executive Order 53, all public and private K-12 schools will be closed through the end of this school year, and certain non-essential “recreational and entertainment” businesses will remain closed. To see which businesses the Governor deemed non-essential, see Executive Order 53 HERE.

I encourage you to read this document for answers to the most frequently asked questions about what orders are currently in place for Virginia, including information on school closures and guidelines for businesses.

You can stay up to date with various health and safety measures being recommended by state officials by clicking here.