Annual e-file shutdown and switchover

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation’s annual electronic filing shutdown and switchover will occur on November 21, 2020.

Individuals and businesses seeking to e-file their Rhode Island returns for tax year 2019 must do so on or before Saturday, November 21, 2020. After that date, Rhode Island returns for tax year 2019 must be filed on paper.

• Each year, the Division temporarily closes its system to e-filing in order to prepare the system for the upcoming filing season. The Internal Revenue Service, and many other states, follow the same practice. This year, the Rhode Island modernized e-file (MeF) shutdown and cutover will occur on Saturday, November 21, 2020. All transmissions must be submitted before 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time on that date.

Reminder about office visit protocol

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation reminds taxpayers, tax professionals, vendors, and others to use Rhode Island’s self-screening tool prior to visiting the Division’s office in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). For details, click here.

Gas tax

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has applied a statutory formula to determine the Rhode Island gasoline tax rate that will be in effect as of July 1, 2021. For more information, click here.

E-file schedule this weekend

 The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the modernized e-file (MeF) system will be temporarily unavailable for a time this weekend due to scheduled maintenance. As a result, federal and Rhode Island e-filing will be unavailable during the period.

The MeF system shutdown begins at 7:00 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow, Saturday, October 17, 2020, and is scheduled to end at 7:00 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday, October 18, 2020.

The IRS will not be accepting electronically filed federal tax returns during the period. Also, the joint fed-state e-file program will be unavailable during the period. Therefore, Rhode Island returns transmitted via e-file during the period will not be transmitted to the state. Tax preparers and taxpayers should plan accordingly.

• The joint fed-state e-file program is a cooperative tax-filing effort between the IRS and most states, including Rhode Island. In general, it allows for federal and state returns to be e-filed simultaneously to the IRS. Once the returns are filed, the IRS keeps the federal portion; the state portion is passed along electronically to the applicable state.

Tomorrow's deadline

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation reminds tax professionals and taxpayers that tomorrow -- Thursday, October 15, 2020 -- is the deadline for returns that are filed on extension. For more information, click here.

Reminder about October 15 deadline

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation's latest Advisory, posted this afternoon, reminds tax professionals and taxpayers that Thursday, October 15, is the deadline for returns that are filed on extension.

The Advisory includes:

• A table of due dates for individuals and entities
• Tips for last-minute filers
• Information about the Free File program
• Details on how to contact the Division
• Convenient options for making tax payments
• Information about penalty relief

To view the Advisory, click here.

Newsletter now available

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has posted the latest issue of its quarterly newsletter. Topics include the following:

• The October 15 extended due date
• Convenient options for making tax payments
• The Division’s “Seminar for Tax Preparers”
• Tax treatment of impact payments
• New appointments
• The Rhode Island Free File program
• The “Legal Corner” feature
• The “Practitioners’ Corner” feature
• A reminder about Rhode Island’s health insurance mandate

To view a copy, click here.

Interest rates

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has set the interest rates that will apply in 2021 to overpayments and underpayments. For more information, click here.

Governor extends executive orders

Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo recently extended a number of Executive Orders until November 2, 2020, including the following:

• Executive Order 20-02, declaring a state of emergency due to the dangers to health and life posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and
• Executive Order 20-19, involving unemployment insurance matters (including relief for employers related to unemployment insurance tax charges).

These Executive Orders will remain in full force and effect until November 2, 2020, unless renewed, modified or terminated by subsequent Executive Orders.  For more information, click here.