State and federal officials are now accepting individual income tax returns, and officials remain hopeful that more people will continue choosing to file electronically this year.
Wisconsin Department of Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler says the agency is continuing its push to get people to use the state’s e-file system. He says the online system provides a fast, accurate, secure, and easy way for people to prepare their return.
AUDIO: Sec. Rick Chandler (:14)
The system also dramatically cuts costs for the state to process returns and can speed up the turnaround time for issuing any refunds. Chandler says most individuals can use the e-file system, unless they have a more complex return.
About 80 percent of individual taxpayers in Wisconsin used e-file last year. Chandler says the system has seen dramatic growth over the past decade, when only about 25 percent of taxpayers filed electronically.
Chandler says you will need copies of documents such as W-2 forms, property tax bills, and bank account information. You will also need to complete your federal return first.
The state also continues to remind taxpayers to make sure they report use tax owed to the state. The tax applies to purchases made online from vendors who do not charge Wisconsin sales taxes. There is a line item on the tax form to report total purchases, and individuals will end up owing about five percent on that number.
AUDIO: Sec. Chandler (:12)
Tax forms are due to DOR and the IRS by April 15th.