INDIANAPOLIS —
The question
After the IRS announced taxpayers will get more time to file and pay their 2020 federal taxes, 13News viewers have been wondering if they will also get more time to file their state taxes.
"Federal taxes aren’t due until May. Is Indiana doing the same thing or do I have to file my state tax return in April?" 13News viewer Jeremiah asked Verify.
Our sources
The Indiana Department of Revenue and Indiana Executive Order 21-07
What we found
April 15 won’t be quite so scary this year. The IRS has extended this year’s tax filing deadline to May 17, which means you’ll get an extra month to file and pay taxes for calendar year 2020.
The Indiana Department of Revenue says it wants to keep things consistent, so it is also moving back this year’s tax due date to May 17. The governor made the extension official earlier this week by signing an executive order.
"Last week, the IRS announced tax deadline and payment extensions for individual tax returns. By aligning with the IRS filing deadline, we are ensuring we are making filing and paying taxes as easy as possible for Hoosiers," DOR Commissioner Bob Grennes stated in a department press release.
So we can verify: Yes, Hoosiers now have until May 17 to file their 2020 federal and state tax returns. And if that's still too soon for you, you can apply for an extension to move the deadlines back to the fall.
"Individuals who are not able to file by the May 17, 2021, deadline can file an extension directly with DOR or with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If the IRS extension is granted, the Indiana extension is automatically granted. A timely filed extension moves the federal tax filing deadline to October 15, 2021, and the Indiana filing deadline to November 15, 2021," Indiana DOR explained in announcing the extension. "It is important to note that the extension only shifts the filing deadline and not the payment deadline. Ninety percent of the taxes owed are still required to be paid by May 17, 2021, to avoid penalties and interest," the agency added.
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