File Individual Income Taxes Online with Revenue

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In preparation for tax season, the Department of Revenue reminds taxpayers to file online for individual income tax by the April 15 deadline at www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. Several payment options are available, including credit cards.

“Filing online is a convenient, accurate way to pay taxes,” said Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr. “Many taxpayers find that taking advantage of Revenue’s electronic services is preferable to filing a paper return.”

The individual income tax is imposed only on individuals and other entities receiving interest from bonds and notes and dividends from stock at a rate of six percent of taxable income. A few exemptions exist. The first $1,250 in taxable income received by a single filer is exempt. The first $2,500 in taxable income received by a joint filer is exempt. People over 65 with total income less than $16,200 for a single filer or $27,000 for a joint filer are exempt. More information is available on the department’s Web site.

MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card are accepted and will be charged an associated 2.49 percent processing fee. Online bill pay, professional privilege tax, individual income tax, sales tax and consumer use tax can also be paid by credit card via the department’s Web site. The department is continuing work to expand this convenient payment option to other online services.

Electronic filing of the sales and use tax, consumer use tax, individual income tax, professional privilege tax and minimum franchise and excise tax returns and estimated payments and extensions is available via the department’s Web site, www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. Bill payments and many business tax registration activities also can be completed online.

In order to assist taxpayers with compliance to electronic filing, the Department of Revenue provides computer access in its offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Jackson, Johnson City, Memphis and Nashville. The department also offers an electronic commerce hot line to assist taxpayers and tax practitioners at (866) 368-6374. Nashville-area and out-of-state callers should dial (615) 253-0704. All taxpayer data, whether paper or electronic, filed with the Department of Revenue is confidential data protected under Tennessee law.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws established by the legislature and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department of Revenue collects approximately 92 percent of total state tax revenue. During the 2006-2007 fiscal year, the department collected $11 billion in state taxes and fees. In addition to collecting state taxes, $1.9 billion of local sales tax was collected by the department for local governments during the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Besides collecting taxes, the department enforces the revenue laws fairly and impartially in an effort to encourage voluntary taxpayer compliance. The department also apportions revenue collections for distribution to the various state funds and local units of government. To learn more about the department, log on to www.Tennessee.gov/revenue.