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The Kentucky Department of Revenue has announced it will begin accepting 2020 tax returns later this week.

The IRS announced it will begin accepting electronic and paper federal individual income tax returns on Friday, so Kentucky will follow the same timeline and begin accepting and processing state returns on the same date.

This is later than the usual date for accepting tax returns, due to additional programming and testing of IRS systems.

Electronic individual income tax returns typically take two to three weeks to process, and refunds can be expected to be issued shortly thereafter. Taxpayers may check the status of their refund by visiting refund.ky.gov and entering their Social Security number and exact dollar amount of the expected refund.

Due to ongoing COVID-19 public health recommended precautions, the Department of Revenue has reduced the number of employees at its physical office locations. This means, while DOR will make every effort to process returns as quickly and efficiently as possible, the processing of all refunds may be slightly delayed due to the unusually late start of the IRS filing season.

“The Department of Revenue works hard to ensure Kentucky taxpayers have efficient, secure, and convenient means to submit their annual tax returns,” said Revenue Commissioner Thomas B. Miller. “As always, we encourage taxpayers to file their returns electronically, if possible, which helps minimize mistakes and expedite the processing of refunds.”

Depending upon household income, some taxpayers may qualify for the Free File Alliance, which offers no-cost Kentucky tax return preparation for electronic returns and allows taxpayers to receive refunds via direct deposit. Please visit revenue.ky.gov, select “Individual,” then select “Free Electronic Filing” to learn more and find out if you qualify.

Last year, Kentucky launched KY File, a no-cost option to file Kentucky individual income tax returns. KY File is free to users and is designed to be the simple electronic equivalent of a paper form. KY File will provide basic mathematical and error checks, but unlike tax soft­ware, it does not ask about or explain tax scenarios. There are no income limitations to use this service.

Before using KY File, taxpayers should complete their federal tax forms. KY File will allow you to file your returns electronically and receive a paper check sooner, as direct deposit is not an option with KY File. You may also choose to use KY File and print and mail returns to the Kentucky Department of Revenue. To learn more, visit filetaxes.ky.gov.
Taxpayers who have questions or require assistance may submit a general inquiry on the DOR website at “Get Help” or

contact DOR taxpayer assistance at (502) 564-4581. Taxpayers who are deaf or hard of hearing may call TTY: (502) 564-3058 for in-person assistance.