Storm-related update

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation, at One Capitol Hill in Providence, will be open during normal business hours on Wednesday, January 28, 2015.

Storm-related announcement

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation will be closed on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, as a result of the snowstorm and in accordance with Executive Order 15-02 signed today by Governor Gina M. Raimondo.

Although the Division of Taxation's offices will be closed, e-filed returns will continue to be accepted and processed and acknowledgments issued. (Processing of returns and issuing of acknowledgments may be temporarily delayed in the event of power outages.)

Newsletter now available

The latest issue of the Rhode Island Division of Taxation's newsletter is now available. Among the highlights:

• what's new for filing season;
• corporate tax changes for 2015;
• estate tax changes for 2015;
• a FUTA tax update;
• a lookup table for use tax;
• Section 179 deduction limits;
• TDI and UI figures for 2015; and
• Form RI-1065 preparation tips.

The issue also has regular features, including “Legal Corner” and “Practioners’ Corner.”

Sales tax session for artists

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation, in partnership with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, held an information session this morning to answer questions from artists about completing their annual sales tax reconciliation return.

The meeting took place at the Department of Administration Building (Powers Building), One Capitol Hill, Providence, R.I. About 25 artists attended. Speakers included Susanna Coburn, Dennis Leary, and John Torregrossa, representing the Division of Taxation; and Randall Rosenbaum, executive director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.

Information session for artists

Filing season starts for personal income tax returns

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation today began accepting electronically filed Rhode Island personal income tax returns for tax year 2014 -- signaling the formal start of tax-filing season.

The agency will begin accepting e-filed business returns on January 30.

For details, please click here.

Appointment announced

Rhode Island Tax Administrator David M. Sullivan on January 15 announced that the Division of Taxation's new Assistant Tax Administrator will be Neena Sinha Savage. 

"We had several great candidates and it was an extremely difficult selection," Sullivan said. "Neena has been an attorney with the Department of Business Regulation since 1997 and most recently served as Acting Deputy Director and Executive Counsel. Her legal experience along with her extensive experience with a regulatory agency will be a great asset to the Division," Sullivan said.

Savage will start with the Division of Taxation on February 9, 2015. She will succeed Peter J. McVay, who retired on October 31, 2014, capping a 36-year career at the agency.

Deadline for estimated payments

Tonight is the deadline for making fourth-quarter payments of estimated personal income tax.

Payment must be made or postmarked by 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2015. If you don’t have pre-printed estimated tax coupons, blank copies are available on the Division of Taxation website.

• January 15 is also the deadline for fourth-quarter estimated payments of income tax for 2014 calendar-year fiduciary filers (involving estates and trusts), pass-through withholding filers, and composite return filers.
• January 15 is also the reporting deadline for those subject to the bank deposits tax.

Tax Administrator discusses underground economy

Rhode Island Tax Administrator David M. Sullivan discussed the misclassification of workers during an interview today on Channel 10 (WJAR-TV). 

Sullivan told Frank Coletta, the veteran Channel 10 anchor, that when an employer misclassifies a worker, both the worker and the employer are put at risk -- and the State of Rhode Island loses needed tax revenue.

Sullivan was interviewed by Coletta at Channel 10’s headquarters in Cranston. The segment was broadcast during the station's news program at noon, is repeating on cable TV, and is also available online at the station's website.

Tax Administrator David M. Sullivan

Sullivan serves on a six-agency task force that was established last year to coordinate joint efforts to combat the underground economy and employee misclassification. ("Employee misclassification" typically means a worker who should be classified as an employee but who is instead improperly classified as an independent contractor.) 

The task force was formed as a result of legislation approved by the General Assembly and enacted in June 2014. As part of the task force’s efforts, the Rhode Island Division of Taxation has set up an anonymous telephone tip line to receive allegations of worker misclassification.