Kokua Line: Hawaii income tax deadline still April 20 for now, although the date is under review after federal extension
Question: Is the 2020 Hawaii state tax return filing deadline still April 20? Will it be extended like the federal deadline?
Answer: As of Monday the state had not extended the filing deadline for Hawaii income taxes, according to the Department of Taxation, which issued this statement:
“The Hawaii Department of Taxation is aware of the IRS deadline extension. We are examining the benefits and any possible ramifications of extending the Hawaii filing deadline. The deadline for tax year 2020 returns remains April 20, 2021, at this time.”
As your question indicated, the Internal Revenue Service has postponed the federal income tax filing deadline to May 17.
Q: Is the new federal deadline for estimated taxes, too?
A: No. The automatic federal postponement to May 17 applies only to individual federal income tax returns (including for self-employment income) usually due on April 15, not to state tax payments or deposits or payments of other types of federal tax, according to the IRS.
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Estimated tax payments due April 15 must be paid by that date. “Taxes must be paid as taxpayers earn or receive income during the year, either through withholding or estimated tax payments. In general, estimated tax payments are made quarterly to the IRS by people whose income isn’t subject to income tax withholding, including self- employment income, interest, dividends, alimony or rental income,” the IRS says on its website, noting that most taxpayers have taxes withheld from their paychecks and submitted to the IRS by their employer.
Q: Regarding the stimulus, some friends got it the second week of March, but I haven’t gotten anything. I am sure I am eligible.
A: The first batch of third-round Economic Impact Payments (EIP3) was issued March 12. The second batch was issued Monday, with additional payments anticipated weekly going forward, according to the IRS. Most payments will be by direct deposit. Eligible recipients who don’t see a direct deposit in their account by Wednesday should be on the lookout for a paper check or a prepaid debit card in the mail. Payments by mail will be issued over the coming weeks, the IRS said.
Q: Do you have to have insurance to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: No. “The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says on its website that COVID-19 vaccination providers cannot:
>> Charge you for the vaccine.
>> Charge you directly for any administration fees, copays, or coinsurance.
>> Deny vaccination to anyone who does not have health insurance coverage, is underinsured or is out of network.
>> Charge an office visit or other fee to the recipient if the only service is a COVID-19 vaccination.
>> Require additional service for a person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. However, additional health care services can be provided at the same time and billed as appropriate.
The agency says COVID- 19 vaccination providers can:
>> Seek allowable reimbursement from the recipient’s plan or program (for example, private health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid) for a vaccine administration fee, but they can’t charge the vaccine recipient for the balance of the bill.
>> Seek reimbursement for uninsured vaccine recipients from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s COVID-19 Uninsured Program, https://www.hrsa.gov/covid uninsuredclaim.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
