State announces tax form changes
Advertiser Staff
With Wednesday marking the beginning of the new tax season, the state tax department wants to inform the public of changes in the state individual income tax forms and ways to obtain them.
The following are changes to the Hawai'i individual income tax forms:
• You may contribute $2 of your refund ($4 if married filing a joint return) to the Hawai'i School-Level Minor Repairs and Maintenance Special Fund.
• A $1 general income tax credit is now available for resident taxpayers.
• The Schedule of Tax Credits includes new credits: Hotel Construction and Remodeling Tax Credit-nonrefundable (revised Form N-314), Technology Infrastructure Renovation Tax Credit (new Form N-326), Drought Mitigating Water Storage Facility Income Tax Credit (new Form N-328), Credit for School Repair and Maintenance (new Form N-330), and the Residential Construction and Remodeling Tax Credit (new Form N-332).
• You may designate any person as a third party to answer questions that may arise during the processing of the tax return. Previously, only a paid preparer could be designated.
• Form N-857, relating to Claim for Tax Exemption by Person with Impaired Sight or Hearing or by Totally Disabled Person and Physician's Certification, is obsolete because the physician's certification is now included on Form N-172. Submitting a new Form N-172 is not required if you previously filed Form N-857 and/or Form N-172 with the Tax Department.
People filing federal individual income tax returns electronically will have the option of filing their 2001 state Form N-11 electronically, either through an approved tax preparer or using approved tax preparation software. To file your own tax return electronically, go to the state's e-filing Web site and click on the link "approved software developer listing."
Taxpayers can also file certain income tax forms and make payments through the Internet. Such forms include Declaration of Estimated Income Tax for Individuals (Form N-1) and Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File Hawaii Individual Income Tax Return (Form N-101A). The short form resident income tax return form (Form N-13) will be ready for e-filing in early 2002.
Visit the state's Web site for more information.
Income tax forms and instruction packets for 2001 will be mailed in January. Hawai'i residents will automatically receive a packet for the same form they filed in 2000 unless they moved, filed late in 2000, or checked the box on their 2000 return requesting only a mailing label. N-15 form packets will be sent to nonresidents who checked the box on their 2000 tax return requesting the 2001 forms.
Other ways to obtain tax forms and information:
• Tax forms and information can be found at the state tax department's Web site.
• The 2001 Tax Information CD-ROM, which enables taxpayers to fill out tax forms, business registration forms and employer's reporting forms on a personal computer will also be available in January for $10. To request an order form, call 587-7572 or (800) 222-7572.
• To receive forms by fax or by mail, telephone operators will be available 24 hours a day at 587-7572 or (800) 222-7572.
Free tax preparation services will be available at the O'ahu District Tax Office from Wednesday to April 22 for taxpayers filing Form N-13, the short form resident income tax return.
The service will be available Monday through Friday, except state holidays, on a first-come, first-served basis, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Princess Ruth Keelikolani Building, 830 Punchbowl St., Room 124. For more information, contact any district tax office or 587-6515, 587-4242, or (800) 222-3229. For the hearing impaired, call 587-1418 or (800) 887-8974.
