Now that the excitement of the gift-giving season has come to a close, many Oregonians' thoughts will turn to the anticipation of something even bigger -- claiming their share of the state's all-time record $5.6 billion kicker tax credit.
The good news is anyone who filed a 2022 Oregon income tax return is all set to claim their kicker on their 2023 return this year. The not-so-good news is filing taxes often creates anxiety, worry and stress.
For those who dread tax season every year, the Oregon Department of Revenue says there's no reason to let tax season make you sweat. Taking a few easy steps in the next few weeks can make preparing your 2023 return easy -- and lower your heart rate in the process.
The first thing taxpayers should do if they hope to claim their share of the kicker this year is to make sure they have filed a 2022 return. The department received more than 2.2 million 2022 tax returns so most taxpayers have done that -- but for those who haven't, filing a 2022 tax return should be their first priority.
Electronic filing is closed until late January so taxpayers who still need to file a 2022 return will need to either download and use a paper form or wait until electronic filing is open again.
To make filing a 2023 tax return in 2024 simpler and less stressful, view your account information online, gather and organize your tax records, use a bank account to speed tax refunds with direct deposit, and choose a reputable tax return preparer. For more information, visit "oregon.gov/dor."
