Politics & Government

2019 Income Tax Season: Filing Under Way In Maryland

Maryland taxpayers can now file your state and federal taxes; file early and electronically to prevent fraud and get your refund faster.

ANNAPOLIS, MD — With the 2019 tax season now under way, officials encourage taxpayers to file early to reduce the risk of tax fraud and to file electronically to ensure a quicker refund. The Internal Revenue Service began accepting personal income tax returns on Jan. 28, and reminds workers that because of changes in federal tax law you should review your withholding amounts early in 2019 to make sure you don’t have too little or too much withheld from your paychecks next year.

To protect taxpayers' security, the Maryland Comptroller’s Office will not immediately process a state tax return if W-2 information is not on file with the agency. Employers were required to report wage information by Jan. 31.

The filing deadline for 2018 tax returns is Monday, April 15, but Comptroller Peter Franchot urged taxpayers not to procrastinate.

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"Filing early gives tax cheats less time to steal your personal financial information and impersonate you," Franchot said. "As always, our nationally-recognized fraud detection team stands ready to protect taxpayers and hold accountable bad actors who attempt to steal from hardworking Marylanders."

Free state tax assistance is available at all of the agency’s 12 taxpayer service offices, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A list of office locations can be found at www.marylandtaxes.gov.

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The best way to check the status of your refund is to use the Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov. This tool gives taxpayers access to their tax return and refund status any time. All you need is internet access and three pieces of information:

  • Your Social Security number
  • Your filing status
  • The exact whole dollar amount of the refund

Taxpayers can start checking on the status of a return within 24 hours after the IRS received an e-filed return, or four weeks after you mail a paper return. Where’s My Refund? includes a tracker that displays progress through three stages: the IRS receives the tax return, then approves the refund, and sends the refund.

Where’s My Refund? Updates once a day, so taxpayers don’t need to check more often.

You can also track a return and refund status on your mobile devices using the free IRS2Go app. Those who file an amended return should check out the Where’s My Amended Return? tool.

Most refunds are issued in less than 21 days, but some may take longer. IRS phone and walk-in representatives can research the status of refunds only if it's been 21 days or more since a taxpayer filed electronically, or more than six weeks since they mailed a paper return.

For more information on any tax-related matter, visit the comptroller’s website at www.marylandtaxes.gov or call 1-800-MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) or 410-260-7980 in Central Maryland.

For tax year 2018, all individual taxpayers will file using the new Form 1040. Forms 1040A and 1040EZ are no longer available. Taxpayers who previously filed these forms will now file Form 1040. The new Form 1040 uses a “building block” approach allowing people to add only the schedules they need to their 2018 federal tax return.

Individuals who filed their federal tax return electronically last year may not notice any changes, as the tax return preparation software will automatically use their answers to the tax questions to complete the Form 1040 and any needed schedules.

Taxpayers can file for free. Join the millions of Americans who safely file their taxes and save money using IRS Free File, offered to about 100 million individuals and families with incomes of $66,000 or less.

Tips To Avoid Scams

Phone scams targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, are routine. Callers claim to be IRS employees, using fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a gift card or wire transfer. Victims may be threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver's license. If the phone isn't answered, the scammers often leave an "urgent" callback request.

Note that the IRS doesn't:

  • Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes.
  • Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
  • Demand payment without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
  • Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Refunds in 2019

Where's My Refund?” ‎on IRS.gov and the IRS2Go mobile app are the best way to check the status of a refund. “Where’s My Refund?” will be updated with projected deposit dates for most early EITC and ACTC refund filers by Feb. 23, so those filers will not see a refund date on “Where's My Refund?” ‎or through their software packages until then.

The IRS expects the earliest EITC/ACTC related refunds to be available in taxpayer bank accounts or on debit cards starting on Feb. 27, 2019, if these taxpayers chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with their tax return.

Choosing e-file and direct deposit for refunds remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate income tax return and receive a refund. The IRS anticipates issuing more than nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days, but there are some important factors to keep in mind.

All taxpayers should file as usual, and tax return preparers should also submit returns as they normally do – including returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit.

Errors delay refunds and the easiest way to avoid them is to e-file. Combining direct deposit with electronic filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer to get their refund. With direct deposit, a refund goes directly into a taxpayer's bank account.

There are several e-file options:

Before you file, the IRS has these tips to help you.

  • Gather your records. Make sure you have all your tax records. This includes receipts, canceled checks and other records that support income, deductions or tax credits that you claim. If you purchased health insurance through the Marketplace, you will need the information in Form 1095-A to file.
  • Report all your income. You will need to report your income from all of your Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statements, Forms 1099 and any other income – even if you don't receive a statement – when you file your tax return.
  • Try IRS e-file. Electronic filing is the best way to file a tax return. It's accurate, safe and easy. If you owe taxes, you have the option to e-file early and pay by April 15 to avoid penalties and interest.
  • Use Direct Deposit. The fastest and safest way to get your refund is to combine e-file with direct deposit. The IRS issues more than nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days.
  • Review your return. Mistakes slow down your tax refund. If you file a paper return, be sure to check all Social Security numbers. That's one of the most common errors.
  • Visit IRS.gov. The website has forms and other info you need to file your tax return. Click on the "Filing" icon for links to filing tips, answers to frequently asked questions and IRS forms and publications. The IRS has many online tools on IRS.gov to help you file and answer your tax questions. The tool gives the same answers that an IRS representative would give over the phone.

Tax Forms, Instructions & Booklets

The resident tax booklets contain both the tax forms and the instructions for each major form. The tax forms on the Web site are available separately from the resident and nonresident instruction booklets.

All tax forms have been reformatted to ensure enhanced readability when paper forms are filed. This format has increased the number of pages of some of the tax returns. Make sure that you attach all pages of your return to ensure that your return is processed correctly.

  • Tax Forms and Instructions Online - Tax forms and instructions for Individual and Business taxpayers are available here online at Maryland Tax Forms and Instructions.
  • Tax Booklets at Post Offices - The Comptroller's Office no longer supplies local post offices with tax booklets.
  • Tax Booklets at Libraries - A limited supply of tax booklets are at libraries throughout the state that have requested them.
  • Tax Booklets at Comptroller's Taxpayer Service Offices - Tax booklets are available at all local taxpayer service offices.
  • Request a Tax Booklet - Taxpayers may request a resident or nonresident tax booklet by calling (410) 260-7951, or by e-mail at taxforms@comp.state.md.us.

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