The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) will begin accepting 2020 state individual income tax returns on Friday, February 12, the same date that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) begins accepting federal individual income tax returns. If a taxpayer electronically files an error-free return, they should receive a direct deposit refund in four to six weeks, if applicable. Last year, IDOR saw a 2.7% increase in the number of electronic filers; of the 6,443,623 individual income tax returns, 87% were filed electronically and 63% received refunds.
“Filing tax returns electronically and requesting direct deposit is still the fastest way for taxpayers to receive a refund,” said IDOR Director David Harris. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I also encourage taxpayers to create a MyTax Illinois account. With a MyTax Illinois account, taxpayers will be able to respond to any filing inquiries from the department electronically, resulting in faster processing and issuance of owed refunds.”
The 2020 tax filing deadline is Thursday, April 15. IDOR remains highly committed to protecting taxpayers from identify theft and will continue to work with the IRS and other states to strengthen protections. Taxpayers are encouraged to do their part by protecting their personal information and staying alert to phone scams or phishing emails. For more tips and up-to-date information, taxpayers should visit IDOR’s website.
Free filing of Form IL-1040 is available through MyTax Illinois. Individuals may also utilize MyTax Illinois to make payments, respond to department inquiries, and check the status of their Illinois Individual Income Tax refunds using the Where’s My Refund? link. Taxpayers may also look up IL-PINs, amounts of any estimated tax payments made, and (when necessary) amounts reported on Form 1099-G with MyTax Illinois
For the most up-to-date information, forms, schedules, and instructions for the 2020 tax year, please visit IDOR’s website at: tax.illinois.gov.
***Report Courtesy of the State of Illinois***
