Pennsylvania Income Tax E-Filing Options to Start This Week

Tax-filers Reminded to Report Use Tax

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania residents who file personal income tax returns may begin filing electronically for the 2011 tax year this week, the Department of Revenue said today.

Nearly 70 percent – or about 4.4 million – of the 6.1 million personal income tax returns received by the department in 2011 were filed electronically. In addition to being more convenient for taxpayers, so-called "e-filing" saves the department about $3.48 per return in processing costs.

Electronic filing also offers advantages to taxpayers not available to those filing by paper, such as error-reducing automatic calculators, instant confirmation of successful filing, faster refund processing and direct deposit options.

The Fed/State e-file service, available through tax preparers and authorized computer software, and TeleFile (1-888-4PAFILE), one of the department's two free electronic tax-filing options, are available now, said Revenue Secretary Dan Meuser.

Padirectfile, the other free electronic filing option, available through www.revenue.state.pa.us, will be available on Thursday, Jan. 19.

Internet-based and paper filing options will include a mandatory field for taxpayers to report use tax for tax year 2011. Consumers are required by law to report and remit use tax to the department whenever Pennsylvania sales tax is not charged by a seller on a taxable item or service delivered into or used in Pennsylvania.

The addition of the use tax line to the PA-40 Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Return simplifies the use tax reporting and payment process, facilitating easy and annual reporting for taxpayers.

Taxpayers have until midnight, Tuesday, April 17, to file income tax returns.  The traditional April 15 tax filing deadline was extended this year to remain consistent with the Internal Revenue Service's April 17 deadline.

Also new this year is a Web-based application through which individuals can access 1099-G forms, federal forms the IRS requires be provided to taxpayers to remind them of the Pennsylvania personal income tax refunds or credits received the previous year.  1099-G forms are being mailed to taxpayers this year, but in a cost-savings effort, printing and mailing will be eliminated beginning next year.  Next year, taxpayers and practitioners will have to access 1099-G forms through the Personal Income Tax e-Services Center, and paper copies will be mailed only upon request.

If a taxpayer filed a return last year, he or she may file by phone with TeleFile by simply providing a Social Security number and five-digit ZIP Code. To file using padirectfile, each taxpayer will need to provide a Social Security number and one of the following: 2010 or 2009 tax liability; PA driver's license or identification number; or a registered e-signature account with the department.

The Department of Revenue's electronic filing systems are secure and protected with the industry standard for online banking and trading, 128-bit secure socket layer encryption.

Through www.revenue.state.pa.us, taxpayers can file returns using padirectfile, make payments (including estimated payments), check the status of returns and refunds, update information, pay taxes by credit/debit card, access online customer service, review answers to commonly asked questions and download tax forms.

The three primary state tax forms are the PA-40 Income Tax Booklet, the Fast File Booklet and the payment voucher letter. The limited number of state tax forms mailed by the department should have arrived in taxpayers' mailboxes earlier this month.

The department reminds all taxpayers who received more than $33 in total gross taxable income in 2011 that they are obligated to file Pennsylvania personal income tax returns by April 17.

Tax forms are available online at www.revenue.state.pa.us and by calling, toll-free, 1-800-362-2050. Tax help is available by calling 717-787-8201, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Taxpayers with annual incomes of $35,000 or less may also visit a Revenue district office, listed in the blue pages of local phone directories, for basic personal state tax filing help. Help at district offices is available from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information, visit www.revenue.state.pa.us.

Media contact: Elizabeth Brassell, 717-787-6960

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Revenue