File state income tax return

I own a small business. You can do it. Real experts help or do it for you. America's 1 brand of tax software. Free Edition. For simple tax returns only. Maximize tax deductions and credits. State additional. Start for free. Pay only when you file. Investments and rental property. Hide Details. Free filing of your simple federal and state tax returns only. Guidance in case of an audit, backed by our Audit Support Guarantee. Everything in Free Edition, plus.

Maximize your deductions. Homeowners get step-by-step guidance to help turn their biggest investment into their biggest tax break. Get homeowner tax breaks Schedule A. Gross income includes your wages, dividends, capital gains, business income, retirement distributions, as well as other income. I used Free File again this year. The software had all my information saved from last year.

It was even easier the second time. It took me less than an hour to complete my return using the Free File program. For years, I paid someone else to do my taxes.

Then I tried Free File. Credit Karma Tax offers a legitimate totally free way to prepare and file both your state and federal taxes. There are no gimmicks, no upsells and it is a totally legitimate offer.

Credit Karma Tax works best for those who are employed by someone else versus business owners and freelancers. But, rest assured that if Credit Karma can handle your tax situation, then they will. For free. Turbotax for a limited time has rolled out their Absolute Zero program where you can get your Federal, State, and Efile all done free.

I honestly am not sure why they are doing it that way and giving it away like that, but they are for a limited time. You can read more about the details of who is eligible on their website , but for now if you want to get started you can visit TurboTax. On-Line Taxes — This one is pretty simple. You have to have an adjusted gross income within a certain range. They are a little bit different than many of the other places in that they offer free customer service with a toll-free number, e-mail, and live tax help.

They also allow you to view the forms before paying. So just check the list below to see if your state is listed. If it is, then you probably are going to want to use some of the free state tax filing options above. In the past, I have gone to the IRS free file webpage , because they have links to a bunch of tax preparers that offer free tax return filing for federal anyway.

If you are interested in this option, you will have to use the links on the IRS page in order to get the free efile deal they are offering.

Many of the tax preparation websites listed will not offer you the free efile if you go directly to their website. If you have already completed the federal form online, it should be pretty easy to fill out the state return. Do it before Friday morning. The government processes tax returns in week-long blocks. So Friday morning at 11 am, they process all the returns they received over the previous week.

So if you can sneak it in right before the cutoff Fridays at 11 am EST you will just get your refund that much quicker. He has been a full-time writer since and loves uncovering financial wisdom in the Bible as well as discovering the best tools and strategies to help you put more money in your pocket.

Sickening to know that WV is one of the poorest state in the country, yet we have taxes on our food and we charge people to file their returns online….. One note on your last comment. Make sure they get submitted and accepted by Thursday at noon.

This applies only to the IRS as many states have a different refund cycle. You can also look up the refund cycle on the IRS website as well to understand when you can expect your refund to post to your account. Also if things have changed from year to year it can pay to have an expert look at your return to make sure you have captured all the deductions and credits. If you donated an easement to the Maryland Environmental Trust, the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation or the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to preserve open space, natural resources, agriculture, forest land, watersheds, significant ecosystems, view sheds or historic properties, you may be eligible for a tax credit.

The credit is equal to the difference in the fair market values of the property reduced by payments received for the easement. The credit can be claimed on Maryland forms , , or If the property is owned jointly by more than one individual such as a husband and wife, each individual owner is entitled to the credit based on their percentage of ownership.

Individual members of a pass-through entity are not eligible for this credit. In the case of a joint return, each spouse must calculate their own state tax liability for limitation purposes.

Use the rules for filing separate returns in Instruction 8 of the Maryland resident tax booklet. In the case of a fiduciary return, the fiduciary will complete the column for Taxpayer B only. If you itemize deductions, see Instruction 14 in the Maryland resident tax booklet.

For additoinal information, contact the Maryland Environmental Trust at , www. A credit may be allowed for substantial expenditures incurred in a month period to rehabilitate a certified heritage structure located in Maryland. The credit is available for owner-occupied residential property, as well as income-producing property. If you are a qualified teacher, you may be able to claim a credit against your State tax liability for tuition paid to take graduate-level courses required to maintain certification.

This credit applies to individuals who:. Note: Qualified juvenile facilities are: the Alfred D. Hickey, Jr. School; the Cheltenham Youth Facility; the J. Only the unreimbursed portion qualified for the credit. The courses taken must be required to maintain certification and the cost of the courses must exceed any amount reimbursed by the county or Baltimore City.

The credit is limited to the amount paid, less any reimbursement, up to the maximum allowed credit. Each spouse that qualifies may claim this credit. The credit can be claimed on Maryland forms , or If the credit exceeds your tax liability, the unused credit may not be carried forward to any other tax year.

If you were eligible for a Child and Dependent Care Credit on your federal income tax return, Form or A for the tax year, you may be entitled to a credit on your Maryland state income tax return. The credit starts at This credit is in addition to the subtraction modification available on the Maryland return for child and dependent care expenses. See above. You must report the credit on Maryland Form , or You can use the tables below to determine the percentage of the federal credit that can be claimed on your Maryland return:.

If the credit is more than your tax liability, the unused credit may not be carried forward to another tax year. The refundable tax credit must be claimed against the State income tax for the taxable year in which the Maryland Higher Education Commission certifies the tax credit. Individuals applying for certification should submit an application to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by September 15th of each year.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall prioritize tax credit recipients and amounts based on qualified taxpayers who:.

The credit shall be recaptured if the individual does not use the credit approved under this section for the repayment of the individual's undergraduate or graduate student loan debt within 2 years from the close of the taxable year for which the credit is claimed.

The individual who claimed the credit shall pay the total amount of the credit claimed as taxes payable to the State for the taxable year in which the event requiring recapture of the credit occurs. The unused amount of the credit may not be carried over to any other taxable year. The qualified expenses incurred must be certified by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. To claim the credit, an individual shall: i file an amended income tax return for the taxable year in which the qualified expenses were incurred; and ii attach a copy of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's certification of the approved credit amount to the amended income tax return.

If you are a qualified licensed physician or a qualified nurse practitioner who served without compensation as a preceptor, you may be eligible to claim a nonrefundable credit against your State tax liability. There are two credits for qualified preceptors. The second credit on line 2 of Part J on Form CR is available for both licensed physicians and nurse practitioners. For purposes of claiming the credit on line 1 of Part J on Form CR , "preceptorship program" means an organized system of clinical experience that, for the purpose of attaining specified learning objectives, pairs an enrolled student of a liaison committee on medical education-accredited medical school in Maryland or an individual in a postgraduate medical training program in Maryland with a licensed physician who meets the qualifications as a preceptor.

To qualify for the credit, the licensed physician must have worked in an area of Maryland identified as having a health care workforce shortage by the Maryland Department of Health MDH. The licensed physician must have worked a minimum of three rotations, each consisting of hours of community-based clinical training. For purposes of claiming the credit on line 2 of Part J on Form CR , "preceptorship program" means an organized system of clinical experience that, for the purpose of attaining specified learning objectives, pairs a nurse practitioner student enrolled in a nursing education program that is recognized by the Maryland Board of Nursing with a nurse practitioner or licensed physician who meets the qualifications as a preceptor.

To qualify for the credit, a nurse practitioner or licensed physician must have worked in an area of Maryland identified as having a health care workforce shortage by the Maryland Department of Health. The nurse practitioner or licensed physician must have worked a minimum of three rotations, each consisting of at least hours of community-based clinical training.

Eligibility for these credits is limited to funds budgeted. Applicants seeking certification will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis. Go to the Maryland Department of Health website at health. A taxpayer who makes a donation to a qualified permanent endowment fund at an eligible community foundation may be eligible for a credit against the Maryland State income tax.

This certification must be attached to the Form CR at the time the Maryland income tax return is filed. This credit is not refundable and is applied only against the Maryland State income tax. To the extent the credit is earned in any year and it exceeds the State income tax, you are entitled to an excess carryover of the credit until it is used, or it expires five years after the credit was earned, whichever comes first.

Charles St. Donors that make a donation to a qualified permanent endowment fund held at an eligible institution of higher education may be eligible for a credit against the Maryland State income tax. The tax credit terminates December 31, Cash donations made by the taxpayer to a qualified permanent endowment fund that meet certain requirements are eligible for tax credits.

The donor must apply to the Comptroller of Maryland for a certification of the donation. Donors seeking the tax credit must apply to the Comptroller for a tax credit certificate in the calendar year that the donation is made. Applications must be sent by e-mail and are approved on a first-come, first-serve basis until the maximum amount of authorized credits have been approved. An acknowledgement letter is issued when an application for the proposed donation is received.

Donors are required to submit documentation from the institution showing proof of donation within 30 days before a final tax credit certificate is issued. Applications are accepted by e-mail only; and should be sent to HBCUtaxinfo marylandtaxes.

All fields on the application are required to be completed fully. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Donors claim the credit by including the certification at the time the Maryland income tax return is filed. Corporations and Fiduciaries that are eligible to claim the credit must use Form CR to do so.

A taxpayer claiming the credit is required to add back the amount of the credit claimed to Maryland adjusted gross income or Maryland modified income, to the extent excluded from federal adjusted gross income. Businesses or individuals who contribute to approved Community Investment Programs may be eligible for a credit against the Maryland State income tax. The taxpayer must apply to and receive approval by the DHCD for each contribution for which a credit is claimed.

To the extent the credit is earned in any year and it exceeds the State income tax, you are entitled to an excess carryover of the credit until it is used or it expires five years after the credit was earned, whichever comes first. If you are 65 or older, you can take advantage of several tax benefits on your Maryland return. You may also qualify for a pension exclusion that increases each year, and your Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits are not subject to Maryland tax.

Pension Exclusion Computation Worksheet. As a senior citizen, one of the tax benefits you enjoy is a higher income allowance before you are required to file a Maryland income tax return. You are required to file a return if your gross income exceeds the amount listed for your filing status. For tax year , Maryland's graduated personal income tax rates start at 2. Nonresidents are subject to a special nonresident tax rate of 1. The local income tax is calculated as a percentage of your taxable income.

Local officials set the rates, which range between 2. Your local income tax is based on where you live. Be sure to use the correct rate for your local jurisdiction. For more information, see Local Tax Rates.

For taxpayers with higher incomes, the exemption amount is limited. Make sure you check both boxes in columns 6 and 7 of the Exemptions section for each of your dependents who are age 65 or over.

After you complete the Exemptions section, enter your total exemption amount on your Maryland return. You can use the Two-Income Married Couple Subtraction Worksheet in Instruction 13 of the Maryland resident tax booklet to help calculate the correct subtraction amount for your situation. Maryland tax law exempts from state tax only those Railroad Retirement benefits provided under the U.

Railroad Retirement Act. If you are 65 or older or totally disabled or your spouse is totally disabled , you may be able to subtract some of your taxable pension and retirement annuity income. Carefully review the age and disability requirements in Instruction 13 of the Maryland resident tax booklet. Instruction 13 of the Maryland resident tax booklet provides further details on claiming the subtraction. For more information, see Maryland's Pension Exclusion. To qualify for the credit, the insured must be all of the following:.

This tax credit must not have been claimed for the insured by another taxpayer in this year or anyone else in any other tax year. If the credit exceeds the tax liability, the unused credit may not be carried forward to any other tax year. To claim the credit, you must file Maryland Form , or The retirement income must have been received as a result of any of the following military service:. The benefit also applies to persons separated from active duty employment with the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Coast and Geodetic Survey.

For more information, see Military Retirement Income. You can arrange for Maryland taxes to be withheld from your federal pension by visiting Retirement Services Online provided by the U. Office of Personnel Management. You can also obtain tax withholding assistance from the U. Office of Personnel Management by telephone at or by e-mail at retire opm.

You are required to file a return if your gross income exceeds the amount listed below for your filing status. These requirements apply to both resident and nonresident taxpayers. Do not include income from Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits when determining your gross income. You must complete the Exemptions section of the return to determine your total exemption allowance. Enter the number of exemptions in the appropriate boxes based upon your entries in parts A, B, and C of the Form Make sure you check both boxes in columns 6 and 7 of the Exemptions section for each of your dependents who are age 65 or over on Form B.

Enter your total exemption allowance on line 19 of Form The U. Office of Personnel Management provides an online service for retirees to begin, change or stop the withholding of Maryland income taxes from your annuity. If you're eligible, you may be able to subtract some of your taxable pension and retirement annuity income from your federal adjusted gross income. To receive the benefit of the pension exclusion, be sure to transfer the amount from line 5 of the worksheet to line 10a of Form , and complete the remainder of your return, following the line-by-line instructions.

If you are 65 or older on the last day of the calendar year, you are totally disabled, or your spouse is totally disabled, and you have received qualified pension income, you should complete the Pension Exclusion Computation Worksheet 13A regardless of your prior work history. It is permissible for one spouse to claim the standard Pension Exclusion and the other spouse to claim the Pension Exclusion for Retired Correctional Officer, Law Enforcement Officer or Fire, Rescue, or Emergency Services Personnel if each spouse meets the applicable required criteria.

Each spouse who meets the above requirements may be entitled to the exclusion. Combine your allowable exclusions from line 8 of the worksheet and enter the total amount on line 10b of Form To claim the benefit, complete Form and follow the instructions included in the resident tax booklet for line Be sure to indicate code letter u on line If you are a retired military member 65 years of age or older, you may also qualify for Maryland's pension exclusion. The Comptroller's Office will no longer accept the federal Form or federal Form as power of attorney forms for Maryland tax purposes.

We will continue to accept a durable power of attorney or any other power of attorney form authorized by Maryland law.

The completed Maryland Form should include all identifying information for the taxpayer including:. The tax representative or appointed authority authorized to have power of attorney and to receive and inspect confidential tax information for the taxpayer must specify on the form the representative's name, mailing address, daytime telephone number, signature and designation item number The Maryland Form must also be filed with government-issued identification for the taxpayer not the representative unless the representative's designation is item number 1, 2 or 3.

The tax matters to be discussed by the taxpayer's representative with power of attorney must include the following information:.

If the power of attorney form does not include all the information as instructed it will not be accepted. The power of attorney form shall be valid until superseded, revoked or by the death of the taxpayer s or representative s. Tax information can be disclosed to the appropriate party possessing power of attorney if the "Check Here" box on the appropriate form Form , Form , etc.

This authority extends to the estimated payments made for the subsequent tax year. There is no such thing as a "Verbal POA". If a taxpayer calls and their representative is present the taxpayer can give permission for the representative to speak to us at that time. However, the approval is for that phone call at that time only.

All information will still be required in order to accept the POA. They should clearly indicate on the form the volunteer organization with whom they are affiliated. For more information about power of attorney matters, call , Monday - Friday, a. You can also e-mail related inquiries to taxprohelp marylandtaxes.

You can call or visit any of our taxpayer service offices to receive free state tax assistance. If you bring a completed copy of your federal return and all related documents to any of our offices, we will complete your Maryland income tax return and even file it electronically for you - free of charge.

If you are a legal resident of Maryland and serving in the military, you must file a resident Maryland tax return, regardless of where you are stationed. You must also report all of your taxable income from all sources, including military pay.

The wages earned by a spouse of a nonresident U. The income tax withholding exemption may be claimed by filing a revised Form MW with their employer. Beginning , you must also complete and attach Form MWM. Military service may entitle you to special tax breaks for overseas pay and retirement income.

The following links offer more information about helpful tax benefits and other unique filing situations that affect military families in Maryland. You must file a Maryland resident return Form if:. You may be eligible for Maryland income tax credits as well as tax credits granted by another state.

See Maryland Form Income Chart and instructions. Follow the instructions provided by your state of legal residence for any possible credits allowed by that state. If you are a legal Maryland resident and a member of the military, you must file a resident Maryland income tax return, using Form , and report all income from all sources, wherever earned. You do not lose your resident status if you are stationed outside of Maryland during the taxable year.

Resident military personnel who develop a state income tax liability in Maryland are also liable for the local income tax. As a resident, you are subject to the local income tax regardless of whether you were stationed in Maryland or not.