Question: Regarding the IRS extension for income taxes in the wildfire zones (808ne.ws/kline328), is that for state taxes too?
Answer: No. Hawaii’s Department of Taxation “will not be providing a blanket extension for the income tax-filing deadline or tax- payment deadline and will continue to consider requests for extensions and waivers of late payment penalties and interest on a case-by-case basis,” spokesperson Gary H. Yamashiroya said in an email Wednesday, referring affected taxpayers to tax.hawaii.gov/hawaii- wildfires and Tax Announcement 2023-03 (808ne.ws/3TbRFLL) for further information.
By contrast, the Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday that it has “postponed until Aug. 7, 2024, various tax-filing and tax- payment deadlines for individuals and businesses affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires in Hawaii,” as reported in Thursday’s column (808ne.ws/kline328).
The IRS says this relief is granted automatically for any taxpayer with an IRS address of record in the Maui or Big Island federally declared disaster zones, as designated at fema.gov/disaster/4724. Eligible taxpayers do not need to contact the IRS to receive these extensions, which, in keeping with your question, we’ll emphasize apply to federal tax deadlines, not state ones.
Q: What are the requirements for a passport that has expired within the past couple of months? What are the documentation or forms to use to renew, or do I have to apply for a brand-new passport?
A: You can renew an expired U.S. passport under certain conditions. The passport must have been issued within the last 15 years, when you were age 16 or older, in your current name (or you must show legal proof of your name change) and it must be undamaged and in your possession, according to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Assuming that you meet those requirements, you could renew by mail using form DS-82. To download the form and for full instructions, go to travel.state.gov and follow the links to passport renewal.
Mahalo
On Tuesday, I took my Holo card into the Foodland store in Kahala to load it up with only $15 so I could ride TheHandi-Van service. I forgot I had to pay cash and I didn’t have any cash with me, but I had a credit card and the store’s loyalty card. They refused to take the credit card and couldn’t load the card for me, which I wanted to use in the very near future. A very kind lady was listening to all this and she very kindly offered to pay the $15 fee for me. I offered to buy her something with my credit card but she wouldn’t take it and said it was her pleasure. What a beautiful thing for her to do. I am most appreciative. — Paula
(Editor’s note: Oahu’s mass-transit Holo card can be used on TheBus, TheHandi-Van and the Skyline rail system. The Holo card website, holocard.net, explains that there are four ways to add money to a Holo card, including at several retail stores, but that most of the stores only accept cash, as you experienced. The other options to add money are through the website, by calling 1-808-768-4656, at the Transit Pass Office at Kalihi Transit Center, and at vending machines at Skyline stations, the website says. TheHandi-Van is Oahu’s public transit service for people with disabilities who can’t use TheBus. Other readers who may be interested in applying for TheHandi-Van service, which has eligibility requirements, can go to 808ne.ws/3VCz9xB for more information, or call 808-538-0033 during regular business hours.)
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
