Reminder: July 1 is deadline for filing Virginia individual income taxes

Virginians who have not yet filed their Virginia individual income taxes must file by midnight on Monday, July 1, to qualify for the Tax Relief Refund.

The refund is the result of state legislation passed by the 2019 Virginia General Assembly in response to the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. An individual filer could receive up to $110 and a married couple filing a joint return could receive up to $220.

The refund is not to exceed the taxpayer’s liability, and the law requires the checks to be mailed out by October 15, 2019.

“With the filing deadline fast approaching, I urge all Virginians who still need to submit state individual income taxes to file now so they can qualify for the Tax Relief Refund,” said Gov. Ralph Northam. “Our state tax employees are hard at work to process returns this tax season and filing on time will help ensure taxpayers receive payment as quickly as possible.”

“Individual income tax returns are due at midnight on July 1, which is now less than two weeks away,” said Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne. “We encourage Virginia taxpayers to take advantage of the variety of filing options and complete their taxes before the deadline to avoid any penalties or delays in receiving their refund.”

“We don’t want anyone who hasn’t filed to wait until the last minute to do so,” said Tax Commissioner Craig M. Burns. “In some cases, we may request additional documentation from taxpayers. We’ll need to get that extra information as soon as possible to quickly process returns.”

Some factors could reduce the Tax Relief Refund including:

• If you owe Virginia state taxes for 2018 or for any previous tax years, the Department of Taxation will withhold all or part of the refund and apply it to outstanding tax bills
• If you owe money to Virginia local governments, courts, other state agencies, or the IRS, the Department of Taxation will withhold all or part of the refund to help pay these debts

Here are some other tips to help the Department of Taxation process your return more smoothly—ensure your name, address and Social Security number are correct on your return; file electronically; and include your Virginia driver’s license or Virginia identification card number on your return.

Visit the Department of Taxation website for more information.