Ohio Department of Taxation News Releases

News Release

April 11, 2001  -  Columbus, Ohio  -  ODT Offers Help and Helpful Hints for Last Minute Tax Filers

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio taxpayers who wait until the end (April 16^th, midnight) to file their state individual income tax can get help 'til nearly the end from the Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT).Last minute filers can also help themselves by avoiding the most common errors made on state income tax forms.

Citizens with questions about their taxes can contact the department's toll-free telephone numbers from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. through April 16. The toll free numbers are 1-800-282-1780, for general information; 1-800-282-1784 for refund information; and 1-800-750-0750 for the hearing impaired. Tip - call centers are usually less busy during mid-day odd hours (11,1, and 3 o'clock).

Taxpayers at any time of day can obtain forms, instructions, refund information and answers to frequently asked tax questions on the ODT web site: http://tax.ohio.gov/

Citizens may also go to that web site to find "fill-in" tax forms. There are nine "fill-in" tax forms on the site. Instructions on the web site guide taxpayers through the forms from beginning to end.Finally, ODT wants to advise Ohio citizens of the most common errors on tax returns, so they can avoid them. Remember:

• If you Telefile, read the instructions carefully, fill out the worksheet and then call in your return.In reporting use tax, pay only on purchases you made from vendors outside of Ohio for which no tax was collected. Don't use figures provided in the example (shown in the tax booklet) of how to calculate the tax.Sign your return. ODT receives about 25,000 returns each year with no signatures.Complete ALL boxes on tax forms requesting name, address, and most important, Social Security number.Make your check or money order payable to: Treasurer State of Ohio. Also, put your Social Security number on the check or money order so it can be identified if separated from your return.If you make a payment, be sure the amount on your return matches the amount of your check or money order.Make certain you use the tax return form for the applicable tax year. Tax return forms change.Complete and send ALL supporting schedules. If you make photocopies, make sure they are readable.
• Please send your return to the appropriate Post Office box *. To facilitate processing, returns requesting refunds are directed to different post office boxes than returns that include payments:

(* This information is available on the back of the year 2000 Ohio Individual Income Tax booklets.)

For more information contact:

Gary Gudmundson, Communications Director
Ohio Department of Taxation
(614) 644-6903