Illinois to start accepting tax returns Monday

SPRINGFIELD (Illinois News Network) — The state of Illinois says it’ll start processing tax returns on Monday, but it will be a while before you get your refund. If you file your Illinois taxes online, have your money deposited directly into your bank account and have an error-free tax return, you could see your refund in about a month. The Illinois Department of Revenue said it will start accepting tax returns Monday. The same day that the Internal Revenue Service will start accepting returns. Once again, the internet is the best bet for filing, said Illinois Department of Revenue spokesman Terry Horstman. “The Department of Revenue is reminding taxpayers that filing tax returns electronically, and requesting direct deposit into a check or savings account is still the fastest and most secure way to receive a refund,” Horstman said. It takes about four weeks to process each refund because of new security and identity theft protections. Horstman said you can speed that up by handling any identity verification paperwork that you get from the state online. “As part of our on-going efforts, taxpayers who may receive an identity verification letter may now authenticate electronically this year through the Department of Revenue’s free online account management program, MyTaxIllinois,” Horstman said. That used to have be done through the mail. Reporting by Benjamin Yount