e-filing taxes

Hello Steve,

The following links might be useful to you.

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/island_living/taxes.php

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p570/ar02.html

I was pretty sure e-filing wasn't an option and tried to do a search for info. to confirm and found this:

"Taxpayers in 37 states and the District of Columbia can e-file their federal and state tax returns in one transmission to the IRS. The IRS forwards the state data to the appropriate state tax agency. In 2004, almost 27 million taxpayers filed federal-state electronic returns in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia."

I take my taxes in, with a photocopy and I have them stamp my photocopy so I have proof that I sumbitted them and on what day! 🙂

--Islander

Ditto Islander. You will want your form(s) stamped and dated by the IRB. Not infrequently you will get a notice 4 or 5 years down the road that you didn't pay your taxes. They expect you to prove it. P.S. Any time you are dealing with the government, get a receipt and hold on to it.

I'm actually looking at getting a decent refund this year. What kind of time line should I expect for a refund. I've heard the months/years stories, but was wondering if things have gotten better.

Thanks for the info.

S.

Can someone offer some info. in relation to the filing of taxes here in STX? I was told by a co-worker that you can't expect a refund because this island is more prosperous that STT and they won't give refunds if you're owed one. Does this make sense to anyone?

We are owed about $700 from last year. As of today, no refund in sight. Most people who live here try NOT to be owed a refund.

Hello Candi,

Your co-workers comment is incorrect.

If you are owed a refund you will recieve it, the question is when? Might take a few years but you will eventually get it, with interest. So make sure they always have your correct mailing address!!

--Islander

Candi: It has nothing to do with the St Thomas vs St Croix rivalry. The government is spending every penny it can get and has no money for refunds. Make sure that you owe them money, not the other way around.

Steve N: Good luck!

OK, this will sound strange for some of you I suppose, but how do you make sure that you're NOT owed a refund from the government? I have always received a refund, and I actually expect even more this year because of my relocation expenses to come here for a job back in Nov., among other things. Any advice?

Thanks for the heads up. I was going to file my taxes here but if the wait is that long I’ll file in my home state. I’m a student and usually get everything I paid in back; I don’t want to wait around for my money. There aren’t any territorial taxes to pay are there?

Lauren

Hello Candi,

I don't know the legal implications, (you should find out!!) of doing this but I have heard that some people over-state the number of dependents/allowances on their W4 form therefore less tax is removed and consequently when taxes are filed with the correct number, the individual ends up owing the government rather than them being owed. (I am not suggesting you do this, just answering your question!!) There might be other tricks... don't know.

Lauren - if you worked on St. Thomas you are suppposed to file in the USVI. Here is a response from a VI accountant from last year concerning this:

"The tax law is that you are a VI resident and file your tax return in the usvi if you lived here the last day of the year. You could be in the states for 11 1/2 months and moved in December and you would file your worldwide income in the vi. If you moved to the states anytime during the year, you're still required to file here. But then you also file in the states and use a form 8689 to prorate the income between the vi and the us. Of course if you didn't have VI income, you wouldn't have to file here."

--Islander

Hi Islander,

This may be a fine point to argue, but I'm wondering if it's valid. I've been living on STX since 9/6/04 and working at UVI since 9/8/04. However, I was actually "living" at my house back in Texas on the last day of the year as I went back there for the holidays on 12/17 and didn't get back here until 1/10/05.

Does this mean that I can file in Texas only? I'm so broke right now that I can't wait years for any kind of tax refund that I may be due from the VI government, especially since that VI gov't is spending money like water on governor's cars and travel back and forth via Seaborne between STT and STX and nothing to fix the potholes on Mahogany Road and elsewhere or -- even worse -- doing very little to rectify the sewerage system.

Thanks for any kind of enlightenment you might be able to give me on this question.

Kinsey (who loves the VI, but sees definite problems with the gov't . . . and not just the gov't of the VI either)

Hello Kinsey,

Read over the Virgin Islands Section of the IRS web page.

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p570/ar02.html

It addresses who files in the VI. And how to file if you aren't a VI resident but have income from the VI.

While I know of a few people who have just gone ahead and filed back home in the states, I don't know whether it has or will ever catch up with them. I would suggest contacting the IRB office and asking for a clear definition of what a bonafide VI resident is (for tax purposes) and see if it applies or doesn't apply to you.

--Islander

Thanks for your help. I'll certainly follow up on your suggestions. You are a fantastic resource, and this is coming from a bonafide librarian. 🙂

Hello,

I had two buddies tell me just a little bit ago that they received their 2003 VI tax returns in the mail today!! YEAH! 🙂

Only 10 months processing/wait time.

Kinsey - Thanks for the feedback 🙂

--Islander

I'll believe it when I see my return!! Of course I do live on STX, so mine will probably be ANOTHER 10 months!?! Smiles.