Tax preparers, meanwhile, said social distancing guidelines related to the pandemic would make it hard for many to meet the April 15 deadline.

People may not be able to gather needed documents or confer with accountants. And services like the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance clinics — which help low-income people file returns — have been curtailed or closed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Senate Republicans unveiled plans Thursday to postpone the filing deadline as part of their stimulus legislation now pending in Congress.

At President Donald Trump’s direction, Mnuchin tweeted, “We are moving Tax Day from April 15 to July 15. All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties.”

He urged people expecting refunds to file "now to get your money."

So far, about half of taxpayers have filed returns, IRS statistics show.

Several states have also pushed back their filing deadlines for state taxes.

