Minnesota individual Income Tax filing season opens soon

The Minnesota Department of Revenue will open the state Individual Income Tax filing season on Monday, Jan. 28. For Minnesotans’ benefit and convenience, this date matches the opening day for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The filing deadline to submit 2018 Minnesota income tax returns is Monday, April 15, 2019. This date matches the IRS’s filing deadline for 2018 federal income tax returns. Tax software providers and tax professionals will be accepting and preparing tax returns before Jan. 28, and will submit those returns when the IRS and state systems open later this month.

“This year especially, we encourage everyone to file electronically and choose direct deposit to help improve the accuracy and security of your return,” said Revenue Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly. “Free filing options are available for nearly 64 percent of Minnesotans. We encourage all eligible Minnesota taxpayers to take advantage of this and file their state taxes for free.”

Free electronic filing is available for Minnesotans who meet certain requirements. Last year, more than 800,000 Minnesotans were eligible for free electronic filing but did not take advantage of it. You may be eligible to file electronically for free if your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is $66,000 or less. You may qualify for free tax preparation help for your federal and Minnesota income tax returns. To qualify, you must be age 60 or older, have a disability, speak limited or no English, or have income less than $55,000 per year. There are more than 200 free tax-preparation sites across Minnesota where you can get help from IRS-certified volunteers.