Illinois officials extend state tax deadline in 5 counties affected by severe weather
Tax Day is Tuesday, but Illinois residents of Marion, Boone, Crawford, Sangamon and DuPage counties have an extended state deadline due to severe storms and tornadoes in March.
“The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) will offer tax relief to affected income, withholding, and sales and use tax filers who live or have businesses in the impacted counties, or to those who have tax records located in those declared disaster areas,” an April 14 press release said.
The relief applies to returns and payments due between March 31 and May 31. Those in counties with an extended deadline have six months from the due date to file and pay taxes due during the period.
Paper filers who need the extension should write “Tornado-March 2023” in red on the outside of their envelope and at the top of each tax return and payment page and include a brief explanation of why they can’t file or pay on time, the press release said.
Those filing electronically should email REV.DisasterRelief@illinois.gov with their full name, account number or last four Social Security number digits, mailing address and brief explanation.
“All filers should indicate which location was affected by the severe storms and provide any additional documentation to support their requests,” the release said.
The extension does not apply to the federal tax return deadline, which is Tuesday, April 18. Information about relief programs for federal tax returns is available online at irs.gov.
“Even though the deadline has been extended, those taxpayers expecting refunds are encouraged to file their returns as quickly as possible and file electronically and request electronic deposit,” IDOR Director David Harris said in an April 14 statement. “This is the fastest, most efficient and secure way to file.”
Preparing for Tax Day
For those who still need to file their taxes by Tuesday, the state offers resources to help prepare returns.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers assistance to people who make $60,000 or less, people with disabilities and people who speak limited English.
The Tax Counseling for the Elderly program is available to those aged 60 or older. You can go online to find help or call 800-906-9887.
The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program is available to Illinois residents with no age or income restrictions, and people do not need AARP memberships to get help filing their taxes. You can use the AARP website to find preparation assistance near you.
Taxpayers can also search for a free tax assistance provider by visiting tax.illinois.gov. The IDOR’s Taxpayer Assistance Division can be reached at 800-732-8866 with any questions.
If your adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less, you can file your federal return for free with the Internal Revenue Service. There are options available for guided tax preparation and fillable forms.
Those who need an extension on their federal tax return can fill out Form 4868 for an Oct. 15 due date. Note this extension will not give you more time to actually pay your taxes.
