Pennsylvania income tax returns can be filed online with new state system

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has rolled out a new online income tax returns filing system.

According to the state Department of Revenue, those wishing to file their state tax returns or make income tax payments can do so on mypath.pa.gov.

“We’re excited to offer a new online filing system that will make it easy for our customers to file their 2020 state returns for free,” Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said in a news release. “We encourage all Pennsylvania taxpayers to take advantage of this new, easy-to-use option.”

Access to the mypath.pa.gov website offers several services including free return and refund processing and the ability to track the status of a refund.

Taxpayers wanting to file their Pennsylvania tax returns or make payments may begin doing so through the website. Those returns may be delayed over the next three weeks, however, because processing will not begin until Feb. 12. The state mirrors the IRS date, which was pushed from January until that February date.

According to the IRS, that change was implemented to give officials time to do additional programming and testing of IRS systems following a December decision that sent a second round of stimulus checks to taxpayers to help the economy recover due the coronavirus pandemic.

“Given the pandemic, this is one of the nation’s most important filing seasons ever,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a release. “This start date will ensure that people get their needed tax refunds quickly while also making sure they receive any remaining stimulus payments they are eligible for as quickly as possible.”

The final day to submit a Pennsylvania income tax return is April 15.