E-filing season begins for tax returns

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- If the bits and bytes holding your tax data have been eagerly anticipating pulling the trigger to file your 2012 Rhode Island state tax return, well, then, you need wait no longer.

The state Division of Taxation started accepting electronically filed personal income tax returns for the tax year 2012 Thursday morning.

In fact, you're actually kind of behind the game. 27,879 returns had already been e-filed by the time the Division of Taxation sent out a news release Thursday morning.

"Many taxpayers have most or all of the documentation they need to file their taxes, so now is a good time to file," said state Tax Administrator David M. Sullivan.

76 percent of personal tax returns were filed electronically last year.

What actually happens, if you're not familiar with the intricacies of the e-filing operations, is that a personal Rhode Island income tax return is sent to the IRS in Washington, and is then downloaded (securely) by the Rhode Island Division of Taxation.

If you don't have a tax preparer or accountant to do it for you, you can download or connect to programs that will do it for you for free by linking to the Division of Taxation's website.