Illinois taxpayers’ refunds delayed until after March 1

Due to new identity-theft- and fraud-prevention measures, some Illinois taxpayers will not receive tax refunds until after March 1.

Illinois taxpayers expecting refunds of their state individual income taxes will not receive them until after March 1. The Illinois Department of Revenue, or IDOR, announced Jan. 4 that security measures implemented during the 2015 tax season to prevent identity theft and tax fraud will cause delays in refunds filed online and by paper. Taxpayers who file online prior to March 1 can expect their refunds within two or three weeks after March 1, and those submitting electronic returns on or after March 1 can expect their refunds within two or three weeks of filing. Paper returns are expected to take longer to process.

The State Journal-Register reports that in January 2014 and February 2014, before the implementation of the 2015 security measures, taxpayers filed approximately 1.3 million returns that entitled them to refunds. Those refunds would all be delayed until after March 1 if filed this year.

IDOR Director Connie Beard noted that the security measures implemented in 2015 prevented the department from issuing nearly $5 million in tax refunds that should not have been paid.

Because tax refunds are not appropriated by the General Assembly, the current budget gridlock in Springfield does not affect the distribution of refunds.