Mass Mailing of Income Forms Discontinued
The Mississippi Tax Commission is announcing that it is discontinuing its annual mailing of personal income tax forms to taxpayers. With the vast majority of the state’s taxpayers now using a computer to generate their return, it is no longer economically feasible for the agency to mail forms. Beginning January 11 forms and instructions will be available on the agency’s website, or, forms may be picked up at any of the agency’s district offices. Additionally, forms will be available at public libraries across the state by that date.
The state has previously, as a courtesy, mailed forms to taxpayers. Failure to receive a mailed form from the Tax Commission does not relieve anyone from filing and reporting their state income tax.
Forms and instructions may be found on the Tax Commission’s website www.mstc.state.ms.us. The forms may be printed and completed by hand, or completed online and printed. The online fill-in form does not provide mathematical assistance or other prompts, but it does allow the taxpayer to complete return information and print the form ready for mailing.
The Commissioner of Revenue, Ed Morgan, stated that “during the 2008 filing year 819,000 Mississippians filed their Individual Income tax returns electronically. Another 230,000 either printed a form from the computer or prepared their return on a computer and mailed the Tax Commission a printed copy. Together, that translates to 88% of the state’s taxpayers using a computer-- in some way-- to prepare and/or file their returns. I encourage all taxpayers, who are able, to “e-file” their tax returns. Taxpayers expecting a refund are encouraged to select direct deposit of the refund to their personal bank account. This will help us get your refund to you as quickly as possible.”
Elisa Wells, director of the Income Tax Bureau stated that "E-filing reduces the number of errors on your tax return because the software checks and corrects common mistakes. E-filing also greatly reduces the possibility of processing errors due to misreading information from your return. E-file taxpayers receive electronic confirmation that the Tax Commission has received their return and direct deposit of a tax refund is only available for e-filed returns. Taxpayers who owe additional state taxes may file an electronic return prior to the April 15 deadline but delay payment of additional taxes owed by mailing a check to the agency on or before April 15."
Many of Mississippi’s taxpayers qualify for free or reduced fees to file electronically through the Free File Alliance. According to David Macklin of the Washington D.C. based Washington Resource Associates, “Free File enables lower and moderate income Mississippi taxpayers to use the best-known and most trusted commercial tax preparation software products for free. There is also no cost to the federal or state government to deliver this free service to hard working taxpayers. You don’t have to be a tax expert or a computer whiz to use Free File because the software programs are very user friendly. Taxpayers can be assured that Free File technologies are secure, and all information is kept private.”
For those individuals who do not have computer access, there is an option available to all Mississippians. According to Sharmin Smith, Executive Director of the Mississippi Library Commission, there are 2000 public access computers in Mississippi public libraries. “Thanks to the foresight of the Mississippi Legislature, the generosity of the Gates Foundation, and adoption, planning, and implementation by local librarians, all of the state’s 240 public libraries provide the public with access to computers with high speed internet connectivity,” Smith said.
Ms Smith added “these public computers are used for a variety of purposes including research; job searches/applications; homework; completing applications/forms including tax preparation, insurance claims, hunting licenses, drivers license renewal; Internet searching; e-mail; social networking; gaming; word processing; etc. Many Mississippi public libraries teach computer classes for the public as well.”
Forms, instructions and links to several software providers, including those participating in the Free File Alliance, are available on the Tax Commission website at www.mstc.state.ms.us.
