The Illinois Department of Revenue will begin accepting 2020 individual tax returns early next month, according to a press release.
IDR will begin accepting the returns on Friday, Feb. 12, the same date that the Internal Revenue Service said that it will begin to accept federal returns.
“Filing tax returns electronically and requesting direct deposit is still the fastest way for taxpayers to receive a refund,” said IDOR Director David Harris. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I also encourage taxpayers to create a MyTax Illinois account. With a MyTax Illinois account, taxpayers will be able to respond to any filing inquiries from the department electronically, resulting in faster processing and issuance of owed refunds.”
According to the department, if a taxpayer files an error-free return electronically, they can expect a direct deposit refund within four-to-six weeks, if applicable. Of the more than 6.4 million returns filed last year with the state, 87% were filed electronically, according to IDR data.
The filing deadline for 2020 taxes is April 15. Last year that date was pushed back on multiple occasions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year officials hope to leave the deadline intact.
