Philadelphia COVID Makes Everything Difficult, We're Making Tax Refunds Easier

Philadelphia PA

27 January, 2021

6:59 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Philadelphia : Joseph Bamat Department of Revenue|January 26, 2021 The coronavirus pandemic has caused huge disruptions to Philadelphia businesses and workers. Many employees have been ordered to work from home, or are struggling with income loss. The Philadelphia Department of Revenue expects hundreds more 2020 Wage Tax refund requests this tax season. To smooth the process, we've introduced: An employer-requested form. New online forms. Streamlined paper form for income-based refunds. Employer-requested refunds In the past, only an employee could apply for a Wage Tax refund. For Tax Year 2020 only, because so many people were ordered to work from home, businesses can submit a refund request on behalf of a group of their non-resident employees. To do so, we've created a new form employees can download now at www.phila.gov/documents/2020-wage-tax-refunds/. The employer must provide accurate and complete tax information for each of their non-resident workers. Starting in February, employers will be able to upload the form on our eFile/ePay website. We will mail refund checks directly to employees, so please ensure mailing addresses are current. Submit your forms online If your employer is submitting a petition on your behalf, DO NOT submit a petition yourself. But if you need to submit on your own, you should use one of our forthcoming online Wage Tax refund petitions. The first form is for non-resident employees who were required to work from home by their employer. It will be a streamlined petition, but like paper filing, must include: A letter from your employer for the dates you were required to work outside Philadelphia. A full copy of your W-2, which includes taxes paid to Philadelphia. City residents cannot get a refund for Wage Tax withheld in 2020. The new forms described above, are NOT for employees who would like to request a Wage Tax refund that includes travel, stock options, and/or business expenses. If this is your case, you must continue to use the longer paper forms. The second online form is for income-based petitions. It can be signed by the employee or a preparer, and must include: A full copy of your W-2 for each employer (if you have more than one). A copy of the PA SP 40 form you filed with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. New, simplified income-based form Recent legislative changes mean your income-based Wage Tax refund amount could be higher this year. We've also done our best to simplify the 2020 income-based paper form. The new form –as well as paper versions– should be available on our website in the first week of February: www.phila.gov/revenue/tax-forms. All taxpayers should also note that we will accept digital employer signatures and have created a uniform travel worksheet. We know many taxpayers are anxious to get the new forms, and we thank you for your patience. If you have questions, please email [email protected], or call us at (215) 686-6574; 6575 or 6578. This press release was produced by the City of Philadelphia.The views expressed here are the author's own.