Massachusetts Tax Deadline Extended to May 17th

It looks like Massachusetts tax payers will get a little more time to get their State Taxes filed. The Baker-Polito Administration announced on Friday the extension of the 2020 state individual income tax filing and payment due date from April 15th to May 17th. The extension comes following the Internal Revenue Service’s decision to delay the traditional deadline for filing federal individual income taxes until May 17th.

Massachusetts taxpayers do not need to file any forms or contact the Department of Revenue directly to qualify for this automatic state tax extension. All Massachusetts taxpayers who received more than $8,000 in total gross income in calendar year 2020 must file a state personal income tax return electronically or send it postmarked by midnight May 17, 2021.

Taxpayers are encouraged to file their tax returns electronically for the quickest refunds. Learn more about filing options at mass.gov/dor.

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Even though we have some extra time, it’s still not a good idea to wait until the last minute to file. Here are a few good reasons to not wait to file your taxes, according to TaxAct.blog.

Unless you kept accurate track of the forms you need as they arrive in the mail, you may very well find that you are missing some important documents when you sit down to complete your taxes. If you wait until the last minute, you may not have the time you need to find whatever forms you are missing.

If you are hoping for a tax refund, the sooner you file your taxes, the sooner you can receive your money.

Because many individuals received a boost in their paychecks throughout the year, there’s a good chance some of those filers may end up owing money. It’s always best to know how much you owe as early as possible so you can make arrangements to pay the bill.

One of the most motivating reasons to file your taxes today is to avoid the stress of waiting until the very last minute.

Tax fraud and identity theft are all too common. Fortunately, by filing early, you can save yourself that headache. Even if someone tries to file a phony tax return in your name, if you already filed one, theirs would be rejected and potentially investigated.

A good rule of thumb is to never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today. However, many people just can't help but to put things off as long as possible. If this is you, you are in good company. Mark Twain was apparently a procrastinator. At least according to one of his most famous quotes...