<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1018706268302959&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
((o
Knowledge • News • Insights
 o))
In Partnership With

Treasury: Consider E-Filing with Income Tax Returns due in Less Than a Week

Michigan Business Network
April 12, 2017 9:00 AM

Dept of Trea.png

E-Filing Provides Greater Accuracy, Faster Processing and Quicker Refunds

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan taxpayers who still have not filed their state income tax returns are encouraged to consider e-filing with returns due in less than a week, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury (Treasury).

By 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, state income tax returns must be submitted by e-filing or postmarked through the U.S. mail. Taxpayers can go to www.mifastfile.org to learn about available options for e-filing for free or for a fee.

“If you still haven’t filed your state income tax return, there is still time,” said Deputy Treasurer Glenn White, head of Treasury’s Tax Administration Group. “With the deadline fast approaching, taxpayers should consider e-filing so Treasury can process your return faster and quickly issue a refund.”

Last year, Treasury processed more than 5 million individual income tax returns, with 3.7 million receiving more than $1.8 billion in refunds. Approximately 4 million of those income tax returns were e-filed.

Taxpayers can check the status of their refund online by going to www.michigan.gov/wheresmyrefund. Please allow two weeks after e-filing or from four to six weeks after paper filing a Michigan return before checking a refund’s status.

Limited quantities of printed tax forms have been distributed to public libraries, U.S. Post Offices in northern Michigan, Department of Health and Human Services county offices and Treasury Field Offices for those who want to file using a paper form. State income tax forms are also available at www.michigan.gov/incometaxes.

For the convenience of taxpayers, both federal and state returns are due on Tuesday, April 18.

Tax-Related Identity Theft Protections

In an effort to protect Michigan taxpayers, Treasury continues to implement security measures to stop tax-related identity theft. As a result, some individual income tax returns may be selected for identity confirmation.

If an individual income tax return has been selected for identity confirmation, the taxpayer will receive a letter from Treasury asking them to confirm their identity by completing a short online quiz or submitting paperwork to confirm their identity. After passing the quiz, tax refunds will be issued in about a month.

For the 2015 tax year, over 33,000 returns were stopped, preventing more than $70 million in potentially fraudulent refunds from being issued by the state of Michigan.

Six-Month Filing Extensions

Michigan taxpayers who owe payment and need more time to file their state individual income tax return can file for a six-month extension.

To request a state income tax filing extension, taxpayers must complete an Application for Extension of Time to File Michigan Tax Returns (Form 4) and mail it to Treasury by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 18. Taxpayers granted a federal income tax return extension are automatically granted a state extension and must submit the state return on the new federal due date.

A filing extension does not give an individual more time to pay. Taxpayers must pay tax liabilities by the April 18 deadline to avoid penalties and interest.

Taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on Form 4 and pay any amount due. Taxpayers who owe zero Michigan tax or are due a state tax refund are not required to file an extension.

Treasury will work with taxpayers who cannot pay the full amount of tax they owe. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/incometaxes or call 517-636-4486.

To learn more about Michigan’s individual income tax or to download forms, go to www.michigan.gov/incometax. For more information about e-filing, go to www.mifastfile.org.

# # # #

Michigan Business Network is an online broadcasting company that provides knowledge, news, and insights into Michigan’s businesses, industries, and economy.