Certificates of exemption

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation today announced a 60-day deadline extension for certain nonprofits. 

The new due date of August 30, 2021, applies to organizations renewing their certificates of exemption. To learn more, click here.

Latest Administrative Decision

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has posted its latest Administrative Decision.

• Decision No. 2021-02 focuses on whether the Division correctly denied the taxpayer's historic tax credits.

E-filing 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 maintenance. As a result, federal and Rhode Island e-filing will be unavailable during that period.

The MeF system will be shut down from 12:01 a.m. Eastern time through 1:00 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, June 27. 

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.

Annual mailing of sales permits

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation has begun mailing retail sales permits. The Division has also begun mailing cigarette dealer’s licenses. Sales tax coupon booklets will be mailed soon. For more information, click here.

Executive Order extended

Rhode Island Governor Daniel J. McKee has extended an Executive Order involving unemployment insurance matters (including relief for employers related to unemployment insurance tax charges). This Executive Order will remain in full force and effect until July 17, 2021, unless renewed, modified, or terminated by subsequent Executive Orders. For more information, click here.

E-filing 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 maintenance. As a result, federal and Rhode Island e-filing will be unavailable during that period.

The MeF system will be shut down from 12:01 a.m. Eastern time through 1:00 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, June 20. 

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.

Further withholding tax guidance

The Rhode Island Division of Taxation last year adopted an emergency regulation that provides withholding tax guidance for employers that have employees who are temporarily working remotely due to the pandemic. That emergency regulation remains in effect. Thus, there is no change for employers or employees as a result of Massachusetts ending its state of emergency earlier today. For more information on this topic, click here.