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Hamilton extends tax office hours for late filers

Andy Levandusky of the City of Hamilton Income Tax Division, helps Vanda Bryant with her taxes Thursday. The city has extended hours for the Income Tax Division office as the tax deadline approaches.

Staff photo by Greg Lynch Andy Levandusky of the City of Hamilton Income Tax Division, helps Vanda Bryant with her taxes Thursday. The city has extended hours for the Income Tax Division office as the tax deadline approaches.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Tax preparers offer last-minute advice for filing

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By Hannah Poturalski, Staff Writer 11:04 PM Thursday, April 14, 2011

HAMILTON — ’Tis the season — not for jolly old St. Nicholas, but for the somewhat less cheery Uncle Sam.

With Emancipation Day (April 16) being celebrated today in Washington, D.C., late filers have until April 18 this year to finish their tax returns.

“By state law, our date can’t be any earlier than the federal,” said Michael McDulin, Hamilton’s city commissioner of taxation. The city’s income tax office offers extended hours until 8 p.m. Friday and April 18, as well as from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday.

“It’s been pretty constant all day, and we will fill it out for them for free as a public service,” McDulin said.

McDulin said there have been 2,620 electronic filings this year — up from 1,220 in 2010.

“We want to help make it easier, so we just try to automate and make things user-friendly,” said McDulin, who’s been with the city 30 years.

Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio also offers extended hours for tax return help. Kate Nolan, Earned Income Tax Credit project manager, said through the society’s five Butler County locations they’ve assisted on more than 1,000 returns this year, most of them electronic.

“So many people are self-filing this year or are out of work and aren’t required to file, so numbers are down regionally in the territory from Dayton to Paducah, Ky.,” Nolan said.

From the city’s income tax, Hamilton received $22.7 million last year, McDulin said. Of that, 12.5 percent went to health and public safety; 1 percent to Hamilton capital and debt; and 7.75 percent to the general fund.

He’s hopeful this year’s amount will reach the same point. In total the city receives around 25,000 returns, McDulin said.

The city also adds around $200,000 to its general fund from administering taxes for the city of Eaton, villages of New Miami, Phillipsburg, and West Milton, two joint economic development districts with Fairfield Twp., Butler County annex, and the city’s hotel tax.

McDulin said those who file after April 18 will be subject to a $25 late filing fee.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2179 or

hpoturalski@coxohio.com.

Extended  

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City of Hamilton Income Tax Office

Friday and Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to noon

Where: 345 High St., third floor

Phone: (513) 785-7400

Online: www.hamilton-city.org, under Departments tab

Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio

Saturday: 9 a.m. to noon at Faith Community United Methodist, 8230 Cox Road, West Chester Twp.; 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Butler County United Way, 323 N. 3rd St., Hamilton; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Workforce One of Butler County, 4631 Dixie Highway, Fairfield.

Phone: Dial 211

Online: www.make workpay.com

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