Taxes are due next week. Here’s what you need to know in Wisconsin

After an emergency extension due to COVID-19, taxes are due Wednesdayfor thousands of Wisconsinites who still haven’t filed.

With all that’s going on in Wisconsin — and across the world — it can be easy to forget about things like taxes. But the deadline is still approaching and tax bills still have to be paid. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s extended filing date, how many Wisconsinites have filed and how much money the state is still owed.

What’s the filing date this year?

Taxes have to be filed and paid by July 15. The date was pushed back from April 15 as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the United States, forcing businesses to close their doors to limit the spread.

The Internal Revenue Service announced the change on March 13. Wisconsin’s state laws automatically extended the deadline and waived interest and penalties for taxpayers due to a presidentially declared disaster. The extension applied to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, associations and companies or corporations.

When do people typically file their taxes?

In a normal year, the peak weeks for filing are in early February and around April 15, the usual filing deadline.

How many people have filed taxes so far?

So far, 2.77 million Wisconsin returns have been filed in 2020.

How many people have yet to file?

Last year at this point, the state had received about 2.98 million filings, according to Patty Mayers, the communications director for the Department of Revenue, which means about 220,000 people have yet to file this year.

But though filings are lower, the department has issued 2.3 million refunds, only slightly behind its issuance of 2.34 million refunds last year, Mayers said. That means that most of those who haven’t filed yet likely will owe taxes.

How much has been paid to the state, and how much is still owed?

The state has collected $8.23 billion through the last report run by the department, said Maria Guerra Lapacek, the assistant deputy secretary for the department.

It’s hard to tell how much is still owed, though. For the 2019 fiscal year, the state collected $8.99 billion and in 2018 it was $8.48 billion.

Will the later filing date cause an issue with the state budget?

No, because the only thing that was changed this year regarding taxes is when they had to be filed, Guerra Lapacek said.

“The effect could be characterized as a ‘cash flow’ issue, as we’re going to be receiving the bulk of payments in July instead of April,” she said.

Is there a chance that the filing date gets pushed back again?

While leaders have mentioned that the date may be pushed back, the Treasury

Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced Monday it would stick with the July 15, according to a USA TODAY report.

However, those who worry they won’t be able to meet that deadline can apply for an extension through Oct. 15 for the federal portion of their taxes.

JOURNAL SENTINEL FILE PHOTO Wisconsinites have until July 15 to file their taxes this year. Despite the extension, some residents still have yet to file.