1 in 5 qualifying Kansans may miss out on this tax credit. Here’s how you can file for it

While the deadline to file your state and federal taxes isn’t until tax day, April 15, the season is well underway.

The Internal Revenue Service began accepting federal returns Jan. 29, along with the state of Kansas. In fact, early filers may already being seeing their tax returns if they are eligible for one.

For those who have not filed their taxes, however, there is still time to ensure you have maximized all possible deductions and tax credits to get the most out of your state and federal returns.

To make sure you don’t leave any money on the table, we’ve rounded up some common tax deductions and credits many Kansas may be eligible for.

Some common tax write-offs

According to major tax company TurboTax, the “10 most overlooked” tax exemptions are:

1. State sales tax

2. Reinvested dividends

3. Out-of-pocket charity donations

4. Student loan interest

5. Moving expenses

6. Child and dependent care credit

7. Earned income tax credit

8. Refinancing mortgage point

9. Jury pay paid to employer

If you own property, be sure to check all of Kansas’ property tax exemptions, as well. A broad look at those include exemptions for military and farm activities.

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Do I qualify for the earned income tax credit in Kansas?

The Kansas Department of Revenue reports 253,220 returns claimed the state EITC in tax year 2022, equaling about $85 million. The department told The Eagle in an email Tuesday it expects around the same amount this year.

But according to the IRS, in tax year 2020, only 74.6% of Kansans eligible for the federal EITC actually filed for it. Kansas Legal Services reports 1 in 5 qualifying taxpayers miss out on the credit.

To receive this federal credit, the IRS requires:

• Annual income off less than $63,398

• Investment income of less than $11,000

• Valid Social Security number

• Been a resident or a U.S. citizen for at least a year

• Not file a foreign earned income form

The state EITC has the same salary qualifications as the federal credit, the Kansas Department of Revenue confirmed.

Taxpayers who qualify for the federal EITC also qualify for the Kansas credit. Individuals will get 17% of what they got from the federal EITC, so if they received $1,000 federally, the state would give them $170.

Wichita has several free resources for those who need help with their taxes this year.

The city partners with AARP and VITA (the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program) to provide services at three neighborhood resource centers. Those locations are the Atwater Neighborhood Resource Center, the Colvin Neighborhood Resource Center and Roosevelt Evergreen Neighborhood Resource Center.

How to check the status of your refunds

Those who file federal taxes online can typically expect to see their refund in their account within 24 days if they use direct deposit, while Kansas state taxes could pop up as quickly as within 10 days of filing.

Thankfully, you can stay in the loop about your federal and state refunds through online tools.

To check on your federal refund, use IRS’ online “Where’s My Refund” tool. You can use the tool either 24 hours after you file for the current year online, three to four days after you file for the previous year or four weeks after you’ve filed your paper tax return.

You can check your state individual tax refund using the Kansas Department Revenue’s online tool. It’s updated daily, but it may take a couple of days after you file your return to see your information online.