PA Tax Amnesty Ends June 18; Only 11 Days Left for Tax Delinquents to Save on Penalties, Interest on Back Taxes

More than $100 Million Disclosed by More Than 36,000 Applicants to Date

ERIE, Pa., June 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tax delinquents have only 11 days left to take advantage of PA's Tax Amnesty program, which waives all penalties and half the interest for anyone who pays delinquent Pennsylvania taxes by June 18, Secretary of Revenue C. Daniel Hassell said today.

"Only 11 days remain for businesses and individuals that owe back taxes to settle their debts with Pennsylvania with no penalties and half off the interest," Hassell said, noting that during the last PA Tax Amnesty 14 years ago, 74 percent of applications and payments were submitted in the final two weeks of the program.  "Anyone who is behind on their state taxes should avoid the last-minute rush and apply now, because after June 18, not only does this offer disappear, but an additional 5-percent penalty will be tacked on to all outstanding tax delinquencies."

To be considered for PA Tax Amnesty, online applications must be completed and submitted at www.PATaxPayUp.com by midnight EST, Friday, June 18, 2010.

Tax Amnesty payments may be made through a variety of options: by electronic funds transfer, credit or debit card, check, money order or cash. Cash is only accepted at the Harrisburg district office in the lobby of Strawberry Square. All payments must be submitted electronically or postmarked by midnight, Friday, June 18.

Help is available by calling, toll-free, 1-877-34-PAYUP (1-877-347-2987) weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Revenue agents will also be available to answer calls to the hotline from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 12 and until midnight on Friday, June 18.

Taxpayers can receive assistance at any of the Department of Revenue's 17 district offices, which are listed in the blue pages of local telephone directories.  In-person customer service is available weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

"When the clock strikes midnight on Friday, June 18, PA's Tax Amnesty program will end," said Hassell during a visit to the department's office in Erie.  "The deadline was set by law and cannot be extended."

"However, the Revenue Department will have additional staff answering phone calls and processing applications in the final days of the program, and we're offering additional customer service hours for people to call the toll-free hotline. In-person assistance is also available at district offices across the state just like this one."

To date, the PA Tax Amnesty program received 36,763 completed, or in-process, applications disclosing more than $100 million in previously unpaid Pennsylvania back taxes.  

In April, the department mailed notices to the last-known mailing addresses of more than one million tax delinquents, including nearly 32,000 Erie-area residents.  

About Tax Amnesty:

For a limited time, the PA Department of Revenue is waiving 100 percent of penalties and half the interest for anyone who applies for Tax Amnesty online at www.PATaxPayUp.com and pays eligible delinquent taxes by June 18.

The 54-day PA Tax Amnesty program, created by Act 48 of 2009, is generally available to all individuals, businesses and other entities with PA tax delinquencies as of June 30, 2009.

The Tax Amnesty period began on April 26 and is expected to net $190 million for the current fiscal year budget by June 18.

After the program ends on June 18, eligible taxpayers who do not take advantage of the PA Tax Amnesty program to settle back taxes will have a 5-percent non-participation penalty added to delinquencies and may face other enforcement actions.

For more information, visit www.PATaxPayUp.com or call 1-877-34-PAYUP (1-877-347-2987) weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.  

Media contact: Stephanie Weyant, 717-787-6960

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Revenue