First day of tax season: How Arkansas is preparing

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration is getting ready for Arkansans to navigate the 2024 tax season.

DFA began accepting state income tax returns on Monday, the same day the IRS began accepting federal income tax returns.

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According to a DFA spokesperson, approximately 97% of Arkansans file online, while the remaining 3% file paper returns. A DFA spokesperson said the quickest way to get a refund is to file online.

“As always, DFA will work to process returns and issue refunds as quickly as possible,” DFA spokesperson Scott Hardin said. “However, the Department does have a thorough process it must complete to avoid increasing efforts to fraudulently obtain the refunds of hard-working Arkansans. These efforts come from across the world and DFA must remain in front of all of them.”

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Arkansas is a member of the Free File Alliance, where software providers work with Arkansas and the IRS to donate free tax preparation. Arkansans who meet the qualifications, including active-duty military, can use one of the free providers on the DFA list.

In 2023, DFA issued individual tax refunds totaling more than $824 million, a 72% increase from 2022’s $480 million in refunds.

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DFA maintains a website to check on the status of a refund at DFA.Arkansas.gov.

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