Doing your taxes can be complicated enough in ordinary times without the added anxiety and economic consequences of a public health crisis to boot.
So to give Maine people more time to handle their taxes during these difficult times, this week I announced that Maine will extend the filing and payment deadlines for state income taxes to May 17, 2021.
Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.
This change aligns with the one already made by the federal government in some respects.
Maine individual taxpayers, including individuals who pay self-employment tax, do not need to file any forms or call to qualify for this extension.
Now, the Federal government did not extend the dates for corporate returns and payments so Maine’s deadlines for those filing and payment dates are also still April 15, 2021.
Earlier this week I also signed the bipartisan supplemental budget enacted by the Legislature into law. In addition to providing full tax relief to the more than 28,000 small businesses who received the PPP funds, this budget also exempts up to $10,200 from income taxes for those 160,000 people who got unemployment benefits in 2020.
That tax relief is available to Maine people with an annual income of less than $150,000, regardless of filing status.
Maine Revenue Services, a bureau within my Administration, stands ready to assist Maine people who may need to file an extension beyond May 17 or to discuss payment plans if necessary. You can contact them, and find other information about tax relief and tax forms, at maine.gov/revenue.
Maine people can also call 2-1-1 or visit 211maine.org for assistance in identifying free tax preparation resources that are available throughout the state.
This last year has been hard and my Administration will continue to do all we can to make things a little easier for Maine families. We are working around the clock to vaccinate Maine people against the coronavirus and to get our state and our economy back on track.
In the meantime, I urge everyone to keep doing the basic things that keep us healthy, like wearing a mask, watching our distance, washing our hands, and sign up to get the vaccine as soon as you are eligible, please.
You can see a list of vaccination sites around the state at maine.gov/covid19/vaccines.
Please keep the faith and stay safe.
We will get through this together.
This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.