State Revenue Department extends hours before Monday deadline

With the deadline to file Pennsylvania personal income tax returns less than a week away, the state Department of Revenue is extending service hours for taxpayers to get help by phone.
Taxpayers can speak to a department representative by calling 717-787-8201 from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays through Monday, the filing deadline to submit 2018 personal income tax returns.
Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell announced the department’s taxpayer service and information call center will also be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday.
Taxpayers can also inquire online through www.revenue.pa.gov to get answers to specific questions about 2018 personal income tax returns and the department’s electronic filing, known as e-filing, options.
According to the state, tax returns that are filed electronically are processed faster, meaning taxpayers will receive their refunds sooner.
Pennsylvanians can file their state tax returns by using the following paperless e-filing options:
- Padirectfile, a free, secure, state-only electronic income tax filing system. It is available through the Department of Revenue’s website. Free electronic filing options are available to file state and federal returns using software from a reputable vendor. Income limits may apply. More vendor information is available on the department’s website.
- Paid tax preparers and commercial tax preparation software providers who offer e-filing for a fee. E-filing offers advantages not available to taxpayers filing by paper, including error-reducing automatic calculators, instant confirmation of successful filing, faster refund processing and direct deposit options.
All taxpayers who received more than $33 in total gross taxable income in calendar year 2018 must file a Pennsylvania personal income tax return by midnight Monday.
Taxpayers can request an extension to file a personal income tax return by submitting form REV-276. The department automatically grants an extension to file when an extension is granted by the federal Internal Revenue Service.
An extension to file is not an extension to pay tax that is due. Someone who expects to owe tax should send a payment for the expected amount. A Social Security number must appear on the check with the notation “extension payment” for the tax year.
Taxpayers may also visit a Department of Revenue district office, listed in the government pages of local phone directories, for basic state personal income tax filing assistance.
Assistance at district offices is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and taxpayers are encouraged to bring their Social Security cards with them to facilitate tax filing.
Taxpayers can check the status of their refunds online by visiting the department’s website and selecting the “Where’s my income tax refund?” link on the department’s homepage; or by calling 1-888-PATAXES to find out the status of refunds.
Taxpayers will be prompted to provide their Social Security number and requested refund amount to obtain the current status.
Free tax forms and instructions are available at the department’s pages on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, which also include filing information.