| Rell's proposal to end estate tax languishes
HARTFORD - Although Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell for the second year has proposed eliminating the estate tax, it has gained little momentum.
Rell's proposed phaseout of the 5 percent to 16 percent tax on estates of $2 million or higher has been overshadowed in the General Assembly by debate over her school aid and property tax initiatives. And two dozen other bills submitted by legislators, including the Greenwich delegation, to abolish or alter the estate tax, have gone nowhere.
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The tax man cometh … prepared?
For those of you who just don't seem to remember that tax filing deadlines are the same time each year, here are some last minute tips. This year's deadline for filing personal income tax returns is Tuesday, April 17, due to the celebration of Emancipation Day in Washington D.C. on Monday, April 16. The State of Maryland also has the same filing deadline for your personal income tax return this year. All states are not the same, so if you need to file a return for another state, be careful! If you have a balance due to the State of Maryland, you can hold onto your money longer by electronically filing your return by April 17 and schedule your direct debit or credit card payment for any date that you choose, up to April 30. This gives you additional time to pay for the state tax you may owe.
Schools adjust budget proposal
The Albemarle County School Board may have to eliminate an additional $1.2 million from its budget proposal after the county Board of Supervisors set the real estate tax rate at 68 cents per $100 of assessed value, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the school division. The middle school orchestra program and non-European language classes may be impacted the most, as Superintendent Pamela Moran recommended Thursday that the School Board cut the programs along with five others to balance the school budget. In all, the School Board has had to reduce its initial budget proposal by $3.8 million, according to most recent projections. Jackson Zimmerman, director of fiscal services for the schools, said that figure likely will increase or decrease, depending on finalized funding from the state and local government.
Last-minute filers have 2 extra days to beat deadline
If you're burning the midnight oil Tuesday doing your taxes, you're too late. This year, there are no special post office late hours or 11th-hour opportunities to get your federal and state tax forms in. But there are two extra days, this being one of them. April 15, the due date for your governmental dues, often falls on a weekend, and Monday is a holiday in Washington, D.C., Emancipation Day. So you get Tuesday to finish up, and many post offices are open until 7 p.m. with windows and clerks to stamp your returns with a postmark the Internal Revenue Service will respect. The printed forms from IRS say April 16, but that's out of date. "IRS didn't learn about the holiday until after the tax forms were printed," according to the Kiplinger Tax Letter. E-filing, growing in popularity every year, is a speedy way to file.
Last-minute tax help
The Idaho State Tax Commission will extend the hours in several state offices - including one in Twin Falls at 1038 Blue Lakes Blvd. N., Suite C - to help taxpayers meet the income tax filing deadline.Taxpayers have until Tuesday to file their income taxes.The tax offices offer walk-in assistance for taxpayers needing tax forms and answers to questions about their Idaho tax returns. The offices also will accept completed Idaho tax returns and payments for Idaho taxes.Office hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Phone hours - (800) 972-7660 - will be 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.Taxpayers may also download forms, make credit card and e-check payments and get information from the tax commission's Web site at tax.idaho.gov. .
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