Michigan Treasury announces individual income tax return processing begins Feb. 12

The Michigan Department of Treasury on Wednesday announced that it will begin processing individual income tax returns on Friday, February 12.

The Feb. 12 processing date is the same as the Internal Revenue Service. For the benefit and convenience of taxpayers, both the beginning and end of the individual income tax filing season are the same as the IRS.

“We coordinate with the IRS to process tax returns and issue refunds,” State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. “This year, the IRS has pushed back the processing date due to software updating and testing. This means our processing date will also be pushed back. The state of Michigan will be ready to process your returns and issue refunds when the season opens early in the month.”

Individuals can file their state income tax return online, with a tax professional or by mailing in paper forms and documentation. All state income tax returns and payment of any taxes owed must be received by April 15, 2021.

Tax software companies are beginning to accept tax returns now and will transmit submitted returns to the IRS and state Treasury Department on Feb. 12.

All employers were required to mail previous year wage statements – W-2s and 1099s – to their employees by Jan. 31. End-of-the-year pay stubs should not be used when filing a state income tax return because they are typically not an accurate reflection of all income received.

Taxpayers who rush to file without all the necessary paperwork will need to file an amended return later. State income tax returns filed without the required
paperwork will be placed on hold for future processing and review.

To learn more about Michigan’s individual income tax, go to www.michigan.gov/incometax or follow the state Treasury Department on Twitter at @MITreasury.