Just three weeks remain to file income taxes on time. The deadline to file is Wednesday, April 15.
Katie McLear Public Relations Specialist with the Indiana Department of Revenue says taxes can be filed for free with the Indiana Free File program. If eligibility requirements don’t allow that option, McLear says the best option is to file electronically.
“There are a number of benefits to filing electronically,” explained McLear. “First for foremost you’re going to get your refund much faster. You’ll get that refund in about 10 to 14 days. You could wait up to 12 weeks if you file by paper.”
McLear says it’s understandable that taxpayers may need a little extra time to gather paperwork in order to complete the task of filing taxes by the April 15 deadline. If time runs out, she suggests filing an extension.
“You can file an extension of time to file. That will give you more time to file your taxes. It is important to remember that that will not extend the time you have to pay your taxes. You should still pay 90 percent of what you expect to owe by the April 15 deadline. Extension of time to file information is on our website at www.in.gov/dor.”
There have been several reports of tax identity theft this season linked to the Anthem data breach last year. McLear indicated that the Indiana Department of Revenue has taken a proactive approach to deter tax fraud and identity theft.
“Last year the department implemented the identity protection program. As a result, we stopped $88 million in attempted fraudulent refunds last year. It’s really a top priority of the department to protect the identities of Hoosier taxpayers and to keep the refunds out of the hands of fraudsters and in the hands of the taxpayers where they belong.”
If you are facing identity theft issues, call the Indiana Attorney General’s Office and your local law enforcement agency.
