Though Thursday marks the final day to file state and federal income tax returns, Utah’s electronic filing system offers another option for procrastinating students.
Nearly every student is qualified to use the TaxExpress systems.
Filers must have a full year of Utah residency, an annual income of no more than $75,000, cannot claim any tax credits and can’t have any out of-state withholdings.
“E-filing over the Internet reduces errors, speeding up the entire process to a matter of just more than a week on average,” said Utah State Tax Commission spokesperson Jodi Monaco.
Filing electronically can cut the time it takes to receive returns from five or six weeks to just one or two, Monaco said. But more importantly, it reduces the likelihood of user error. About 17 percent of all paper returns to the Utah State Tax Commission came in with errors, compared to just 3 percent of all returns filed electronically.
“Refund returns that have errors must be reviewed separately. This means they are delayed while the errors are corrected, which sometimes involves contacting the taxpayer,” she said.
Mistakes on returns can range from incorrect Social Security numbers and mathematical errors to incomplete routing and account number fields necessary to deposit the funds directly into bank accounts, according to the tax commission.
Though April 15 is the traditional deadline for tax returns to be filed, latecomers do have another option.
By filling out Form 4868, filers can obtain a six-month tax extension.
“They can always file their return later, but they should send in full payment on or before April 15,” Monaco said.
Though 80 percent of all Utahns who filed a tax return by the April 15 deadline or via an extension last year got a refund, H&R Block tax associate Quentin Staples said making the deadline is the best way to alleviate stress.
“A lot of people come to us because they feel they’ll mess it up, but there’s not much to stress about,” he said.
For state and federal income tax information or to file taxes via TaxExpress, visit the Utah State Tax Commission’s Web site at www.incometax.utah.gov. Students interested in obtaining Form 4868 can contact the Utah State Tax Commission by calling 1-800 662-4335.
Tax Deadline
The following Utah post offices will provide late-night collections of mail on Thursday, April 15 to assist last-minute tax filers. All offices are open until midnight.
Downtown Station230 West 200 So.
Main Post Office1760 West 2100 So.
Holladay Branch2350 Arbor Lane
Sugarhouse Station1953 South 1100 E.
Murray Branch4989 South State
West Valley City Branch3490 South 4400 W.
Airport Post Office320 North 3700 W.
Bountiful Main PostOffice20 South Main St.