Filing taxes can be a stressful time. It's the middle of tax season and the deadline to file is nearly a month away on April 15th, so what should you know before filing?
Some Idahoans are already receiving refunds from filing earlier this year, but refunds can be delayed if you do not follow the requirements or miss a step.
“You need to make sure that you attach your federal copy to your Idaho return, usually when you e-file, it just automatically does that. I would also look at your data entry. Make sure that your social security numbers are right. Make sure the amounts match from your W2’s to what you’ve put on your return,” Income Tax Specialist Cynthia Adrian said.
With the help of the Idaho Tax Commission’s website, anyone can actually check the status of their refund, if having already filed taxes this year.
“There's always a way to check your refund status. It's on tax.Idaho.Gov and we actually have new little videos that are 1 to 2 minutes videos and one of them happens to be ‘where’s my refund and what slows down my refund?'” Adrian said.
Idahoans are also eligible for certain tax credits. One of the biggest ones they can receive is the grocery tax credit for all residents, part-time residents and dependents.
“It's $100 per person for a full year if your under 65. If you're over 65, you get an extra $20, so $120 if you're over 65. If you aren’t required to file an Idaho income tax return, you can still get that grocery tax credit by filing Idaho form 24,” Adrian said.
Another tax credit Idahoans can get is the Idaho child tax credit for children ages 16 and under at the end of the year.
“It's $205 for a full year. If you’re a part-year resident, it's prorated according to the amount of time you spent in Idaho,” Adrian said.
Something new this year a $300 federal charitable contribution deduction.
"The Federal CARES Act now allows taxpayers who don’t itemize to take a charitable deduction of up to $300 for any cash contributions that were made in 2020 to any of those qualifying organizations,” Adrian said.
The number one tip for filing your taxes is to file on time. If the April 15th deadline is missed, you can get a late filing fee and have to pay more.
“If you can't pay, then go ahead and file anyway. You can contact us, we can work with you on how to get the amount paid,” Adrian said.
For more resources and information on filing your taxes visit their website.
