It’s tax time again. Here is information concerning filings of 2018 Village of Bluffton income tax returns, provided by the village tax administrator.

New this year
If you owe more than $200 in income tax to the Village of Bluffton at the time of filing your 2018 return, you are required by law to make Estimated Tax payments towards your 2019 return.

The federal deduction for unreimbursed employee business expenses is not an allowable itemized deduction on the Federal Schedule A (form 2106) for 2018. As a result, these expenses will not be deductible on the Village of Bluffton income tax return for 2018.

The deadline to file a 2018 Village of Bluffton income tax return is April 15­, 2019.

Any person, age 18 or older, who resided within the Village of Bluffton anytime during tax year 2018 is required to file a village income tax return by April 15, 2019. Each resident must report any income they earned during the year and pay income tax on all income earned (i.e. salaries, wages, commissions or other compensation such as farm, rental or business income).

Any college student who worked in another community and did not officially change their domicile from Bluffton to another community prior to the start of 2018 must file a Village of Bluffton income tax return.

Primarily the only people who will be exempt from filing are those who are permanently retired or disabled, under the age of 18, or did not have any taxable income during 2018 and have completed and submitted an Exemption Certificate form by April 15, 2019.

Any resident who was under the age of 18 during the entire tax year 2018, is exempt from filing a Village of Bluffton income tax return. However, such individual may complete a Village of Bluffton income tax return to request a refund for any Bluffton income tax that was withheld from their pay. Please make sure to include your birth date on the return.  

Extensions
Taxpayers who are in need of an extension of time to file their tax return must file their Village of Bluffton extension request form by April 15, 2019, or attach a copy of their federal extension request form to their village return and file it by the federal extension date, in order for the extension to be granted.

 Extensions that are granted will typically extend the filing deadline by six months to Oct. 15, 2019.

Filing an extension only extends the due date for filing a return. It does NOT extend the length of time to remit any tax owed. Any tax owed will still be due by April 15, 2019.

Taxpayers may receive a refund for overpaid taxes only if the amount overpaid is more than $10. Likewise, taxpayers will not be required to remit tax due that is less than $10. However, even if the tax due is less than $10, taxpayers are still required to file a Village of Bluffton income tax return.

Business, farm and rental losses (Schedules C, E, F, K-1 and Forms 4797 and 4835) are not permitted to be netted against personal wages or income to reduce taxable income.

The municipality will impose penalty and interest charges when a taxpayer fails to file their return or remit the appropriate amount of income tax owed to the village by the April 15, 2019, due date. For 2018 returns, the penalty and interest charges will be as follows:

The municipality will impose a $25 per month penalty for failiure to timely file a return up to a $150 maximum.

The municipality will impose a onetime late payment penalty on the amount owed for 2018, of 15 percent of the amount not paid by the April 15, 2019, due date.  

Monthly interest shall be imposed on all unpaid income tax. The interest rate for 2018 will be: .50%.  

More on villagre website
A full description of the village’s income tax requirements and tax forms can be found on their website at www.bluffton-ohio.com, under the Income Tax tab, or by clicking here.

These documents can be found  in the Search Tax Forms box located on the left-hand side of the screen. Tax return forms, exemption certificates and estimated tax payment forms can also be found on the shelf in the Town Hall lobby located at 154 N. Main St., Bluffton.

For additional information, please contact the Village of Bluffton’s Income Tax Department at (419) 358-2066, ext. 105.