While Tax Day itself may be more than two months away, Illinois residents can get a head start by filing their taxes early.
The Illinois Department of Revenue announced that it will begin accepting and processing tax returns on Jan. 29, the same day the Internal Revenue Service will begin accepting and processing federal tax returns.
Officials encourage residents to file electronically, as that helps speed up the process of both the tax return being processed and a refund being issued.
Residents are also encouraged to choose direct deposit as the method of receiving their tax refund, which also helps expedite the process.
Illinois taxes can be filed online for free here, with resources also available to make payments, respond to department inquiries and check on the status of your refund.
If a taxpayer electronically files an error-free return, a return through direct deposit should be issued within four weeks.
The tax filing deadline this year is Monday, April 15. More information on tax season in Illinois can be found here.
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