Important Information as Tax Season Approaches
For immediate release by the Louisiana Department of Revenue:
Louisiana state income tax filing begins Monday, January 23
Enhanced security measures in place to protect taxpayers from fraud |
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BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) will begin accepting 2016 state individual income tax returns on Monday, January 23, the same date that the IRS begins accepting federal returns. On that date, LDR will begin accepting returns filed electronically at www.revenue.louisiana.gov/fileonline and through third-party commercial software, along with paper returns submitted in person and through the mail.
Also on January 23, taxpayers can begin downloading paper tax forms from the LDR website, but all taxpayers are encouraged to file electronically for the fastest, most error-free return processing.
The state individual income tax filing deadline is Monday, May 15.
LDR begins this tax season with a focus on protecting taxpayers and state government against fraud.
Over the past three years, LDR has saved taxpayers more than $50 million through its tax fraud prevention initiative, with millions more recovered through restitution. Dozens of fraud suspects have been arrested.
The enhanced security measures in place to detect and stop fraud have increased the time it takes to process tax refunds. For returns filed electronically, refund processing could take as long as 60 days in some cases. Some taxpayers filing paper returns could wait as long as 14 weeks for their refunds.
Additional and unnecessary refund delays can be expected if taxpayers fail to keep their most current contact information on file with LDR, including name, address and telephone number. Taxpayers who have moved in the past year, including those displaced by the 2016 floods, should visit www.revenue.louisiana.gov/addresschange.
Tips for Taxpayers
LDR recommends the following steps to ensure the fastest, most accurate tax return and refund processing:
Basic tips for ensuring a proper return filed by a reputable tax preparer:
For more information, contact: Byron Henderson – Director of Public Information, Louisiana Department of Revenue Email: byron.henderson@la.gov Office: (225) 219-2156 |