Tax-amnesty program gets out to early start

The Virginia Department of Taxation has already had an overwhelming response to its Sept. 28 announcement that Virginians can take advantage of a tax amnesty program that forgives and forgets if you pay-up late taxes within the next 60 days.

In an effort to meet the demand for information, the agency opened their toll-free phone lines two days early and handled more than 750 calls in the first few hours.

“The Call Center we contracted with to handle the calls was not scheduled to begin until the amnesty start date of Oct. 7,” said Tax Commissioner Janie Bowen. “We shifted around people within the department to answer the calls and to do everything we can to help people take advantage of the program.”

If you owe back taxes to the state of Virginia, you have a limited window of time this fall to pay-up with NO penalties and half the normal interest charges.

From the outset of the campaign, the department has looked for ways to help individuals and small businesses take maximum advantage of this window of opportunity to save money on back taxes. In addition to the toll-free number, there is also a website, GetSquareVA.com, with a live-chat feature to enable taxpayers to get answers after regular business hours.

To participate in Get Square VA, you must take the following steps between Oct. 7, 2009 and Dec. 5, 2009:
– If you have delinquent returns – file required tax returns along with supporting documentation no later than Dec. 5, 2009 and pay the full amount of the tax and one half of the interest;
– If you have outstanding tax bills – send payment for taxes due along with half the interest amount no later than Dec. 5, 2009;
– Submit filings or payments online at www.GetSquareVA.com by midnight on Dec. 5, 2009, or file or pay by mail, postmarked no later than Dec. 5, 2009.

Normally you would pay full interest and penalties on the unpaid tax, but under Get Square VA, you have a chance to get caught up on your taxes and the Commonwealth will drop your penalties and half of your interest. If you wait until after Dec. 5, 2009 to pay-up, you’ll be charged full interest and penalties with an additional 20 percent amnesty penalty.

For more information, call 888.560.0057 or go online at www.GetSquareVa.com. Taxpayers are urged to not wait until the last minute to get their questions answered and to avoid waiting in long lines.