Taxes Due Tuesday: How To File An Extension In Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA — Tax Day has arrived in Pennsylvania. If you waited until the last minute, or need more time to complete your filing, there's a way to do so in PA.

Most taxpayers have three extra days to file their tax returns this year, with Tax Day on April 18. April 15 is traditionally Tax Day, but falls on a Saturday. Monday, April 17, is recognized as Emancipation Day In Washington, D.C. By law, that affects the tax deadlines for all Americans, just as other federal holidays do.

April 17 is also Patriots’ Day in Maryland and Massachusetts. In some years, that puts those states’ filing deadlines a day later, but not this year because of the Emancipation Day holiday.

Those in PA wanting to file a federal or state extension may get one for up to six months, and must pay state tax liability if they ask for an extension. But if taxpayers have a balance due to the IRS or state, they must still pay it by April 18. Those who do not owe the state or federal government any income tax can still file an extension.

As of March 31, the IRS had paid out $183.130 billion in refunds for tax year 2022. That’s down 10.4 percent from last year’s total of $204.405 billion.

The amount paid out per taxpayer is down as well, averaging $2,910 per person, compared to $3,226 a year ago, a decline of about 9.8 percent.

Here are some important things to know about filing your income tax returns:

• Families who don’t owe taxes can still claim key tax credits; those who qualify can still file their 2021 tax return and claim without penalty some or all of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits. The IRS sent a letter to 9 million individuals and families who appear to qualify for a variety of tax benefit, but have not claimed them.
• Tax credits for families have reverted to pre-COVID 2019 levels, which is one of the factors making refunds smaller this year. The Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit amounts revert to pre-COVID levels.
• Some taxpayers may meet the income requirements and other eligibility criteria or the Premium Tax Credit.
• For 2022, third-party settlement organizations who issue Forms 1099-K are only required to report transactions for gross payments over $20,000 (not $600) and more than 200 transactions.
• During COVID, taxpayers were able to take up to a $600 charitable donation tax deduction on their tax returns. However, for tax year 2022, taxpayers who don't itemize and who take the standard deduction, won’t be able to deduct their charitable contributions.
• Taxpayers who inappropriately received forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans should file an amended return that includes forgiven loan proceed amounts in income.
• The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 made several changes to the new clean vehicle credit for qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, including adding fuel cell vehicles, and also added a new credit for previously owned and commercial clean vehicles
• The Inflation Reduction Act also amended credits for energy efficient home improvements and residential energy property.
• Taxpayers may also make a one-time claim for the alternativefuel credits.

The IRS encourages taxpayers and their tax professionals to file their tax returns electronically through IRS Free File or other e-file service providers.

Patch's national desk contributed to this report.