“Can I Tell You That I Love You?”
Our 91-year-old client called and said he needed help with taxes. His DMM went to his home and, standing on the doorstep (it’s still a pandemic, you know), she found out that he thought he was overdue in paying the employment taxes for his housekeeper. She explained that they are not due until April 15th and suggested that they be paid online. “How can I do that?” he asked. “Oh, I set up your tax account with the DC government last year,” she reminded him. “Shall we take care of it now?” she asked. He breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and said, “I know its not okay to say these things nowadays, but can I tell you that I love you?” (Of course, she said yes!)
This year, give yourself a little love and make your life easier by paying your income taxes (including estimated taxes) online. Given the challenging situation with the US Postal Service not delivering mail in a timely fashion, the last thing you want is to mail your taxes with plenty of time and have them not get postmarked and delivered on time.
Here is where you can go to set up online payments in DC, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts (where we have just launched our new “Berkshire Branch” of Everyday Money Management).
DC
Set up an online MyTax DC account at https://mytax.dc.gov. You will need your social security number or taxpayer ID, as well as information about the type of DC taxes you are paying in order for the payment to be processed correctly.
Maryland
For individuals, go to https://interactive.marylandtaxes.gov/individuals/payment/ to make tax payments and estimated tax payments. You will need to register with your social security number or taxpayer ID. You can also use this portal to file an extension for your Maryland tax return.
Virginia
For individuals, go to https://www.tax.virginia.gov/individual-income-tax-payment-options to make tax payments, estimated tax payments as well as payments with extensions. You will need to create an online account in order to use the system.
Massachusetts
Set up an online MassTaxConnect account at https://mtc.dor.state.ma.us/mtc/_/. You will need your social security number or taxpayer ID, as well as information about the type of taxes you are paying in order for the payment to be processed correctly.
Tips:
If this is your first time setting up an online tax account in your state, start early! If you have any trouble getting through the security on the site, they will likely allow you to register but will send you your password or access code by mail. This could take 10 days or more.
Once you have your account login credentials, store them on your password list or in your password manager.
After each tax due date, check your bank or credit card statement to make sure the payment went through successfully. It may take several days after the due date for the charge to appear on your statement. You can generally pay employer taxes and property taxes online, too! Simply search for a phrase like “pay my property taxes Maryland” and the search will likely yield the website for these payments. It is usually different from the income tax payment portal.
Hopefully, tax time will be easier for you this year, especially if you set up your estimated taxes in advance!
If you need help with your taxes or any aspect of managing your personal finances, we are here to help. Call us at 301-801-2294 or send us a message.