Oregon Dept. of Revenue offers 2022 tax season filing tips

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Revenue is offering tips to taxpayers in preparation for the 2022 tax filing season. The IRS and DOR will begin accepting efile tax returns on Jan. 24. The tax filing deadline this year is April 18.

Returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department won’t issue personal income tax refunds until mid-February. A refund hold is part of the department’s tax fraud prevention efforts and allows for confirmation that the amounts claimed on tax returns match what employers report on forms W-2 and 1099. 

Revenue encourages taxpayers to organize their tax records and check on the following items before filing their 2021 tax return to ensure that it is a complete and accurate tax return:

• Make sure your information is current at Revenue Online.
• If you don’t have a Revenue Online account, we encourage you to set one up.
• See the IRS and DOR websites for tax filing tips.
• Assemble your W-2 from your employer(s), 1099 forms and other documents you will need to file. 
• Check the amount of any Child Tax Credit payments you received. Advance payments were sent automatically by the IRS to those eligible. Families who received advance payments need to file a 2021 tax return and compare the advance payments they received in 2021 with the amount of the Child Tax Credit they can properly claim on their 2021 federal tax return.
• Choose a reputable tax preparer. The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners offers a License Lookup website and there is more information from the IRS website.

The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) confirmed a nearly $1.9 billion tax surplus, triggering a tax surplus credit, or kicker, for the 2021 tax year that will be returned to taxpayers through a credit on their 2021 state personal income tax returns filed in 2022.

You're eligible to claim the kicker if you filed a 2020 tax return and had tax due before credits. Even if you don't have a filing obligation for 2021, you still must file a 2021 tax return to claim your kicker credit. There will be detailed information on how to claim your kicker credit in the 2021 Oregon personal income tax return instructions: Form OR-40 for full-year Oregon residents, Form OR-40-P for part-year residents, and Form OR-40-N for nonresidents. Composite and fiduciary-income tax return filers are also eligible. Use the What’s My Kicker calculator to determine what your credit amount will be.

Keep in mind that the state may use all or part of your kicker to pay any state debt you owe, such as tax due for other years, child support, court fines, or school loans. 

Here are a few other things for taxpayers to keep in mind this tax season:

• E-filing is the fastest way to get your tax refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks. There are several free or low-cost preparation options available for both federal and Oregon tax returns, as long you meet the qualifications. Free tax preparation services are available for low- to moderate-income taxpayers through AARP and CASH Oregon. United Way also offers free tax help through their MyFreeTaxes program. Check the DOR website for more information. 
• Taxpayers can order copies of past returns, letters, or other correspondence—from 2015 to current—through their Revenue Online account. They can also order and pay for these, or older documents, over the phone at 800-356-4222. 
• Anyone who needs a personal income tax return booklet can download and print it from the department’s website at www.oregon.gov/dor/forms They can also order a copy online, by calling 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222, or by mailing their request—along with their name, phone number, and mailing address to

Forms

Oregon Department of Revenue

PO Box 14999

Salem, OR 97309-0990 

For more information about the Earned Income Tax Credit and eligibility, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov. For details on the Oregon Earned Income Credit, visit the DOR website. Even taxpayers who aren’t required to file taxes could be eligible for both credits.

You can visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get forms, check the status of your refund, or make payments. Call 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 (toll-free) or email questions.dor@oregon.gov for additional assistance. For TTY for hearing- or speech-impaired, call 800-886-7204.