Looking forward to your share of Oregon’s record $5.6 billion ‘kicker’ tax credit? It pays to do a little prep work

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Now that the excitement of the gift-giving season has come to a close, many Oregonians’ thoughts will turn to the anticipation of something even bigger — claiming their share of the state’s all-time record $5.6 billion kicker tax credit.

The good news is anyone who filed a 2022 Oregon income tax return is all set to claim their kicker on their 2023 return next year. The not-so-good news? Filing taxes often creates anxiety, worry and stress.

For those who dread tax season every year, the Oregon Department of Revenue says there’s no reason to let tax season make you sweat. Taking a few easy steps in the next few weeks can make preparing your 2023 tax return easier in 2024—and lower your heart rate in the process.

“Most people don’t want to think about their taxes until it’s time to fill out their returns,” said Revenue’s Megan Denison. “But doing a few simple things in the weeks before tax season can make filling out your return and filing on time less stressful.”

The first thing taxpayers should do if they hope to claim their share of the kicker next year is to make sure they have filed a 2022 return. The department received more than 2.2 million 2022 tax returns, so most taxpayers have done that, but for those who haven’t, filing a 2022 tax return should be their first priority.

Electronic filing is closed until late January, so taxpayers who still need to file a 2022 return will need to either download and use a paper form or wait until electronic filing is open again.

“Until taxpayers file their 2022 return, the department can’t calculate their kicker. So make sure you file your 2022 return before you file your 2023 return claiming your kicker,” Denison said.

Next, she said, following the suggestions below will make filing a tax year 2023 return in 2024 simpler and less stressful.

View your account information online
Taxpayers can make sure their information is current at Revenue Online, the state’s online tax portal. While there, taxpayers can use the “What’s My Kicker” calculator, view their 1099-G (available by January 31, 2024), and verify any estimated tax payments they’ve made.

Gather and organize your tax records
Organized tax records make preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier and help avoid errors. Wait to file until you have all your tax records including:
• Forms W-2 from your employer(s)
• Forms 1099 from banks, issuing agencies and other payers including unemployment compensation, dividends, distributions from a pension, annuity, retirement plan, or other non-employee compensation
• Forms 1099-K, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, or other income statement if you worked in the gig economy

Use a bank account to speed tax refunds with direct deposit
File electronically, choose direct deposit and you will get a refund faster. Information is available at this IRS website.

Choose a reputable tax return preparer
Taxpayers should choose a tax return preparer wisely. This is important because taxpayers are responsible for all the information on their return, no matter who prepares it for them. The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners offers a Licensee Lookup website. The IRS has a website with information.

Denison also pointed out that free help filing a return is available for those who need it.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), they accept all relay calls.