Unfortunately the IRS does not allow you to e-file prior year tax returns. After your return is prepared you will have to print it out, sign it, and mail it to the IRS. Unfortunately if you owe money, you may owe a failure-to-file penalty, a failure-to-pay penalty, and interest. There are several software companies participating in Free File and each has its own criteria for determining who can use its services for free. If you qualify and want to use Free File, you may choose a company and enter its web portal through the Department's website.
You may then prepare your federal and state returns with the help of the interview-based software and e-File your returns for free. The second option outlined in the video is Free Fillable Forms. Free Fillable Forms is an online fill-in version of the Virginia Form , the state's resident income tax return, and includes the most commonly used schedules.
You must read the instructions, know which schedules to use, and do your own calculations as you complete your return.
There are no age or income restrictions, but there are other requirements if you want to e-File your return. For example, you must be a full-year Virginia resident, and some tax credits cannot be claimed using Free Fillable Forms. Paid e-File is the third filing method discussed in the video. Paid e-File is a way to file your federal and state returns through a commercial software vendor for a fee.
The Department has a list of over 30 approved commercial software products to choose from on its website. You can click on the companies that interest you to find out more about their services and fees. Like Free File, these products do the calculations for you, while navigating you through your return.
You can then file your federal and state returns electronically. For more information, visit the Department's website at www. Click here for the Department's electronic filing page.
Beginning with returns for tax year , the Department is required to issue refunds either through direct deposit or prepaid debit card. This saves the state money that it would otherwise spend on printing and mailing checks. Those who are filing state returns for tax year and expecting a refund must choose whether to receive the refund by direct deposit or prepaid debit card. Checks can no longer be requested. Read more about the debit card program here. The Department has received reports of phone calls being made to individuals, telling them that their "Way2Go prepaid MasterCard is locked for security reasons.
This is a phone scam. The Department never makes automated calls and never solicits personal information in this manner. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. If the call is recorded as a voice mail, delete it. The Department goes to great lengths to protect the confidentiality and privacy of taxpayer information.
This scam is not related in any way to the security of the new tax refund debit card or any information that taxpayers may submit to the Department. The Department cautions individuals never to give personal information to anyone calling unless they can verify the source. A division of Xerox Corp.
The Department is working with other government agencies, law enforcement, the debit card vendor, and the telephone companies involved to try and end the phone scam. The Appropriations Act approved by the General Assembly eliminated paper refund checks to save money for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The state issued over 1. Most Virginians have their refunds deposited directly into their bank accounts. This is the fastest way to get your refund, especially if you file your return online.
Individuals who prefer not to use direct deposit will receive a prepaid debit card loaded with their refund amount. The new Virginia Tax Refund Debit Card is a more secure and convenient alternative to receiving a refund check in the mail, and eliminates check-cashing fees.
A division of Xerox Corporation will administer Virginia's debit card program at no cost to the state. The card is activated by phone or online using personal information that only you should know, and you will create a PIN, or personal identification number, for use with the card.
The card can be used like any debit card to make purchases in stores or online, to pay bills, to get cash back at the point of sale, or to receive cash at an ATM. While you will be able to access your entire refund without cost, there are fees associated with some services and transactions. Anyone considering receiving their tax refund by debit card should review the fee schedule on the Department of Taxation's website at www.
You will receive a new debit card for future refunds, unless you choose direct deposit. Joint filers will receive two debit cards that draw from a single joint refund account. The Department cannot split a refund amount into separate accounts. Along with a fresh, uncluttered home page and a new look and feel, the new website features a menu-based design that guides users to what they need with a minimum of mouse clicks.
The forms have been organized in a more navigable layout with additional information about each one. The search function is much improved, and important announcements and other information are now featured in a large slideshow in the center of the home page.
The major website overhaul was largely in response to comments and suggestions received from taxpayers in surveys on the old site, along with feedback from focus groups and Department employees.
The new site better aligns with the needs and expectations of the agency's stakeholders, who include individuals, businesses, tax professionals and localities. We now have a full-time webmaster to keep the new site current and up to the standards our customers demand.
More taxpayers than ever, both individuals and businesses, are doing their tax-related transactions online through the Department's website. Last year the site logged over 9 million electronic transactions, including returns filed, payments made and businesses registered.
This was an increase of nearly 10 percent over the previous year. All of the content on the new site has been reviewed and, in many cases, rewritten to make it easier to understand. The new site is also compatible with most browsers and electronic devices, such as mobile phones and tablets.
The address of the new site is the same as the old site: www. The Department will continue to update and add new content and features to the site with an eye toward constantly improving the experience for its customers. It will also continue paying close attention to their feedback. The final day at West Broad is Friday, August The new office location, which will open Monday, August 29, is more spacious than the current office and will provide better service to customers.
Travel four-tenths of a mile and look for the Tax Department sign and the large building on the right. The Department's telephone numbers are not changing. Beginning in the fall of , incoming high school freshmen must earn a credit in the new Economics and Personal Finance SOL in order to graduate. This will help them to eventually become better employees, consumers, savers, investors, entrepreneurs and active citizens.
TAX's lesson focused on helping teachers understand where tax revenue comes from and how it is used at the federal, state and local levels; the different types of taxes; tax structure; and tax exemptions, deductions and credits. We've had a good back and forth to provide information that the teachers and students need to know about but would not have had access to otherwise. Other agencies and organizations helping with this effort include the Department of Consumer Services, the Bureau of Insurance, the Virginia Bankers Association, and certified financial planners.
Funding support has come from the private sector, particularly the financial services industry, so teachers can take the courses at minimal expense. Bowen was a classic example of an employee who steadily worked her way up through the ranks, from taking phone calls to leading one of the largest revenue departments in the nation. During her term as Tax Commissioner she was the driving force behind many accomplishments that helped the agency better serve employees and the citizens of Virginia.
These included developing the Commonwealth's model telework program, developing an Intranet so agency staff could communicate more efficiently, beginning a program called Tax Academy where new hires were trained in a variety of jobs so they could work in several roles as needed, and spearheading a visioning process that helped focus the agency on the future. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science and government at the University of Georgia before returning to Charlottesville, where she was born and raised, to complete her master's degree at the University of Virginia.
She went to work at the agency in as a Tax Examiner handling sales tax phone calls and correspondence. Last week, Bowen was elected president of the Federation of Tax Administrators, which helps all 50 states with training, research and keeps a close eye on federal legislation affecting state tax revenues.
Last week she also earned an award from the Telework Exchange organization for being the "driver" behind the Tax Department's telework program. They also reflect the commitment of both our leadership and of employees to make it work for the agency. Aside from the confusion it will cause, using the wrong instructions may cause you to underpay or overpay the amount of tax you actually owe. Send in your tax return and all supporting documents to the address listed in the instructions.
Mailing your return to the wrong address may delay the time it takes the IRS to process it. Make sure you make a copy of every document you send to the IRS. Documents are occasionally lost, and you may need a backup in case you are audited. Remember, with TurboTax , we'll ask you simple questions about your life and help you fill out all the right tax forms. Whether you have a simple or complex tax situation, we've got you covered.
Feel confident doing your own taxes. Just answer simple questions about your life, and TurboTax Free Edition will take care of the rest. For Simple Tax Returns Only. Filing an Income Tax Extension. Amending Your Income Tax Return. Summary of Federal Tax Law Changes for What is Direct Tax? What is a Wealth Tax? The IRS then asks these same people to spend time gathering documents and filling out tax forms, or to spend money paying tax preparers to do it. In essence, these taxpayers are just copying into a tax return information that the IRS already receives independently.
The program would be voluntary. Anyone who preferred to fill out his own tax form, or to pay a tax preparer to do it, would just throw the Simple Return away and file his taxes the way he does now. For the millions of taxpayers who could use the Simple Return, however, filing a tax return would entail nothing more than checking the numbers, signing the return, and then either sending a check or getting a refund.
Eberly and James H.
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