CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Tax filings are pouring in at the last minute, according to figures from the state tax department.
More than 30 percent of tax filers typically have not filed with the state by a week before the April 15 deadline, according to West Virginia Department of Revenue Deputy Secretary John Doyle.
The department usually receives about 25 percent of filings in the week before April 15 and about 5 to 8 percent afterwards, according to Doyle.
Late filers can expect to wait much longer for their refund, according to Doyle.
“If you’ve got a refund, the earlier you file, the quicker you get the refund back,” he said. “Now it’s going to be something like four to six weeks before you get your refund back.”
Taxpayers can send the state tax department a copy of the federal form for extensions to receive a state extension as well, according to Doyle.
“Our state system is tied very closely to the federal system,” Doyle said. “In just about every case, that’s the rule we go by.”
Both the IRS and the state tax department allow taxpayers to file extensions, but charge interest and late payment fees.
The basic rule is that money owed has to be in by April 15, but the filing doesn’t, according to Bill Quinn, a CPA at Cava & Banko, PLLC…