Deadline on Monday for employer taxes

Monday is the deadline for employers to file their first wage and tax report for 2012 and pay the tax due. About 32,000 employers have until midnight on Monday, April 30, 2012, to file and pay their state unemployment insurance tax (also known as the Employment Security, or ES, tax) and Job Development Fund tax, and to file and remit the amount of Rhode Island Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) tax withheld from employees’ wages. This will be the first payment of state unemployment insurance tax using the new taxable wage base that applies for 2012.

To file employer tax reports, tax payments, and wage reports, some employers will use the paper version of Form TX-17 as updated for 2012. For more information about filing and paying online, click here. Employers with 25 or more employees must submit wage data electronically. For more information, call the Tax Division’s Employer Tax section at (401) 574-8700 (select option 2).

State Police, Tax Division investigate fraud

Members of the Rhode Island State Police Intelligence Unit and the Rhode Island Division of Taxation conducted a three-week investigation this month into the illegal sale of fraudulent and forged stamped cigarettes, according to Colonel Steven G. O'Donnell, superintendent of the State Police and director of the Department of Public Safety.

The investigation led to the arrests that were made on Tuesday, according to new details of the case posted by the State Police. The joint effort by the Tax Division and the Rhode Island State Police is another example of the emphasis that Governor Lincoln Chafee has placed on rooting out corruption and fraud, O'Donnell indicated.

New filing season stats

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has received nearly 520,000 personal income tax returns so far this year, up slightly from the corresponding period a year ago.

Thus far, e-filed returns are up about 7 percent over last year, while paper returns are down about 30 percent, and returns with 2-D barcodes are down about 16 percent. (The agency continues to process returns that were filed at or near the April 17 deadline, and will continue to process returns filed on extension.)

	Filing season 2011	Filing season 2012	Difference
E-filed returns	411,041	441,255	+   7.35%
Paper returns	71,846	50,321	- 29.96%
2-D barcode returns	32,848	27,446	- 16.45%
Total returns:	515,735	519,022	+   0.64%
Cumulative figures for tax year 2010 returns filed through April 27, 2011, tax year 2011 through April 25, 2012.

Three arrests in cases involving cigarette tax

The Rhode Island State Police yesterday arrested three men on charges involving the cigarette tax.

Charges against one of the men included importing cigarettes with intent to evade taxes. The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has played a contributory role in the cases.

Judge issues ruling in case involving sales tax

A Rhode Island Superior Court judge has issued a ruling in a case involving Dell Computer Corp. and Rhode Island sales tax. Click here to read it.

Refunds remain ahead of last year

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation continues to issue more refunds this year -- and in greater amounts -- compared with last year. Through mid-April, the Tax Division issued about 342,000 refunds, up about 5 percent from the corresponding period a year ago. The total amount refunded so far this year is about $175 million, up about 13 percent. The average refund is $513, up about 8 percent.

	Filing season 2011	Filing season 2012	Difference
Number of refunds	326,753	341,573	+   4.54%
Total amount refunded	$    155,644,458	$    175,321,236	+ 12.64%
Average refund	$   476	$    513	+   7.77%
Cumulative figures for tax year 2010 through April 15, 2011, and for tax year 2011 through April 13, 2012. Figures for each filing season do not include prior-year returns and are before interest and offset.

Proposed regulations posted today

The Tax Division today posted on its website several proposed regulations, mainly having to do with business taxes and sales tax.

Among those affected: limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships (LPs), and limited liability partnerships (LLPs). Public hearings start at 9 a.m. May 15 at One Capitol Hill, Providence.