Connecticut State Department of Revenue Services

Walk-in services at all DRS branch office locations remain suspended. Email DRS at drs@po.state.ct.us. Email the Priority One Taxpayer Assistance Program: DRSPriorityOne_CollectionsAssist@po.state.ct.us. Please check our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Tax Commissioner: CT Accepting

Electronic Filing of Returns Starting Jan 22

The Filing Deadline is April 17

Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) Commissioner Kevin Sullivan announced that the state’s online Taxpayer Service Center (TSC) will begin accepting individual income tax returns electronically on Monday, January 22. The Internal Revenue Service launches the federal filing season on January 29.

Said Commissioner Sullivan, “We always encourage taxpayers to file for free and securely online. Every year, more state taxpayers do so.  In addition to extensive on-line instructions and forms, DRS provides paper returns and print information that are available at local town halls and libraries -- but no longer at post offices.”

For a complete list of locations that stock printed booklets in your area, visit the DRS “Forms” webpage .

A few changes this tax season for taxable year 2017 include:

  • Taxpayers receiving teacher retirement payments need to be aware the State Legislature reduced the tax exempt portion of income from 50% to 25% retroactive to January 1, 2017. Any prior withholding or estimated payments made during 2017 should be reviewed.
  • Eligibility for the income tax credit for property taxes paid is limited to individuals who are 65 years of age or older before the end of the applicable year, or who validly claim at least one dependent on their federal income tax return for that year.
  • The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is reduced to 23%.
  • A crumbling foundations subtraction modification has been established.
  • A subtraction modification is established under the personal income tax for expenses related to donating an organ for transplant.
  • Refunds can now be contributed to the Mental Health Community Investment Account.

For a full description of changes, see the “What’s New” section of the CT 1040 Booklet.

This year, tax preparers and taxpayers will get a little extra time to work on their federal and Connecticut personal income tax returns. The normal April 15 filing deadline will fall on a Sunday and Monday April 16 is a federal holiday, Emancipation Day. Therefore, the federal and state filing deadline is the next business day, Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

Commissioner Sullivan added that, “Filing early, electronically and using direct deposit are the best ways to avoid criminals fraudulently filing to steal taxpayer refunds.”

Sullivan listed a number of ways taxpayers can get help:

  • Use the free, secure DRS Taxpayer Service Center (TSC) to file for Connecticut income tax. Another advantage of filing online is a faster refund that avoids paper processing delays.
  • Get free filing assistance.  Lower income and older taxpayers can get excellent free tax preparation and filing assistance from AARP, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program and Community Accounting Aid and Services, Inc. (CAAS).
  • Use a reputable tax preparer.  Taxpayers with relatively simple tax financials do not need to pay for preparation services.  For those who do, be sure to choose a legitimate mainstream paid preparer or on-line processor and always get a copy of the return.
  • Do you have outstanding taxes? CT Fresh Start provides incentives to taxpayers to come forward and pay unreported 2016 taxes. Visit makeafreshstartct.com for details.
Don’t get scammed and ripped off. Cybercriminals come up with more sophisticated ways to steal your refund every year. The most effective ways to prevent criminal interception of tax documents and refunds are also the simplest – like filing online using the DRS Taxpayer Service Center (TSC).