VA Tax News

  • 17 Jan 2013 5:01 PM | Anonymous

    The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act provides exemptions from income and personal property taxes when certain criteria are met.  Under this law the spouse of military service members do not automatically become liable for income and personal property taxes as Virginia residents when they are present in Virginia solely because their spouse is a member of the military serving in Virginia.  Visit the Department's website for details.

  • 17 Jan 2013 5:00 PM | Anonymous

    The fastest way to get your clients their refund is to e-File their tax return and select Direct Deposit. 

    • Refunds using any of the e-File options requesting a Direct Deposit take approximately 1 week. 
    • Refunds using any of the e-File options requesting a Refund Debit Card take approximately 2 weeks.
    • Refunds from paper filed returns requesting a Direct Deposit take approximately 6 weeks.
    • Refunds from paper filed returns requesting a Refund Debit Card take approximately 7 weeks

    Important Reminder:

     

    When selecting Direct Deposit, always clear the taxpayer's saved bank routing and account information from the previous year and reenter the information again for the current year.   

  • 17 Jan 2013 5:00 PM | Anonymous
    • Have your clients gather their tax records and information such as current banking information, change of address, income statements and any supporting documentation in advance and have everything that you will need when delivering their files to your office. 

    • Especially make sure you have their birth date(s), current banking information, if they are using Direct Deposit, and any address changes before they leave your office.
    • Please make sure the client is aware of the two refund options and have them make the selection that works best for them.
    • Make sure your clients are aware that they can e-file and warehouse their payment for any date in the future right up to, and on, the due date.   
  • 17 Jan 2013 4:59 PM | Anonymous

    NEW for e-File for the 2012 Taxable Year

     

    All forms that can be e-Filed are now eligible.  There are no longer requirements that will result in you having to file paper for your clients.  You simply scan and attach all documentation, attachments, schedules, out-of-state tax returns, etc. to the file and submit.  The scanning and attaching of required documentation is optional and will not prevent your client's return from being accepted if it is not attached.  However, returns that require an attachment for which there is none, even though accepted, will result in a letter to your client requesting the missing attachment(s) and will delay their refund by approximately 30 days.

     

     

    e-File Begins Accepting Returns Wednesday, January 30, 2013

     

    You can expect to receive acknowledgement that your clients' e-Filed returns were accepted or rejected within 24 hours of transmission to the Department.

  • 17 Jan 2013 4:58 PM | Anonymous

    If you prepare more than 50 Virginia individual income tax returns, then you are required to e-File all of your clients' returns.  The only exceptions are if the taxpayer voluntarily opts out of having their return e-Filed. 

    Visit the Tax Professionals Page on the Department's website for more information and the list of 2012 approved software vendors.

  • 17 Jan 2013 4:58 PM | Anonymous

    As a result of new legislation, Virginia is making a significant change in the way that your clients may receive their individual income tax refund, the Virginia Tax Refund Debit Card. 

    There are two options for receiving a refund, direct deposit and the new refund debit card.  Both paper and software versions of the individual income tax returns require that one of these two options be selected.  Requesting a paper refund check is no longer an option. 

    While using direct deposit is still the fastest method for receiving a refund, the refund debit card offers a more secure and convenient alternative to paper checks and takes about the same amount of time as the refund check did previously.

     

    When gathering information to prepare your clients' returns, be sure to get the correct banking information and birth date(s). When selecting direct deposit, always verify the correct banking information with your clients and do not default to last year's information. 

     

    Please visit the Department's website for additional information such as, where and how to use the refund debit card, how to use the card for free, transactions with associated fees and the fee schedule, how the card works for joint filers and more.

  • 17 Jan 2013 4:57 PM | Anonymous

    The filing threshold amounts for taxable years 2012 and beyond have been increased. The new threshold for single individuals has increased from $11,650 to $11,950. The filing threshold for married couples filing jointly has increased from $23,300 to $23,900. The threshold for married couples who file separate returns has increased from $11,650 to $11,950.

     

    For complete 2012 legislative information see the 2012 Legislative Summary on the Department's website. 

  • 17 Jan 2013 4:56 PM | Anonymous

    Effective beginning with the 2012 taxable year, individual refunds will be issued through prepaid debit cards or by direct deposit to taxpayers' checking or savings accounts. The paper check refund option is being replaced with the debit card option. Taxpayers receiving a refund may choose either to receive a debit card or direct deposit by filling in the requested information on their returns.

    This change is one of the budget reduction measures included in the 2012-2014 Appropriations Act (273 of HB 1301 - Acts of Assembly 2012 Special Session I, Chapter 3) passed by the General Assembly. Visit www.tax.virginia.gov for detailed information and answers to frequently asked questions.

  • 17 Jan 2013 4:56 PM | Anonymous

    Virginia's date of conformity with the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) was advanced from December 31, 2010, to December 31, 2011, with limited exceptions. Virginia will continue to disallow federal income tax deductions for bonus depreciation allowed for certain assets under IRC §§ 168(k), 168(l), 168(m), 1400L and 1400N; the five-year carryback of federal net operating loss deductions generated in taxable year 2008 or 2009; and federal income tax deductions for applicable high yield discount obligations under IRC § 163(e)(5)(F). 

     

    In addition, fixed date conformity adjustments continue to be required for Cancellation of Debt Income under IRC § 108(i), and the domestic production deduction under IRC § 199.

     

    At the time this message was written, the only required adjustments for "fixed date conformity" were those mentioned above. However, if federal legislation is enacted that results in changes to the Internal Revenue Code for the 2012 taxable year, taxpayers will be required to make adjustments to their Virginia returns that are not described in the instruction booklet. Information about any such adjustments will be posted on the Department's website at www.tax.virginia.gov.

  • 16 Jan 2013 2:47 PM | Anonymous

    Web Upload is a free, easy, and secure way to electronically submit VK1s.  When using Web Upload, you no longer have to print, package and mail your VK1s.  Simply upload your electronically-stored VK1 data.  All Web Upload file types are supported.  Excel files may only contain up to 65,536 records (this is an Excel limitation).

     

    All PTE returns and schedules must be filed on paper, so simply mark the VK1s filed via Web Upload box on Form 502.  Your return and VK1 document will be matched up in processing.

     

    Visit the Web Upload page of the Department's website for complete information on submitting your VK1 file. 

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