Tax return deadline arrives at midnight

The Shapiro administration encourages Pennsylvanians to take advantage of new and expanded tax credits.

By the MVI

Tax Day is here. Are you ready?

State and federal income tax forms are due today, and statistics show a large chunk of the population waits until the last minute to turn in its taxes.

With the deadline for filing personal income tax returns upon us, the Shapiro administration is encouraging Pennsylvanians to take advantage of new and expanded state tax credits championed by Gov. Josh Shapiro.

“Gov. Shapiro has made it a priority to cut taxes and lower costs for Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth. To take advantage of the tax relief the governor has fought for, it’s important for Pennsylvanians to file their state tax returns this week prior to the April 15 filing deadline,” said Department of Revenue Secretary Pat Browne. “Our team at the Department of Revenue will be working longer hours this week to assist people prior to the filing deadline. Whether you’re looking for assistance online, over the phone, or in person, we’re here to help. We want to ensure that everyone filing their taxes gets every dollar they are eligible for.”

All taxpayers who earned more than $33 in total gross taxable income in 2025 are required to file a Pennsylvania personal income tax return by midnight today.

Here are the important things to know about Tax Day and what you can do if you still haven’t filled out your forms.

Tax credits and deductions available

This tax season brings historic tax relief for working Pennsylvanians.

• The Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit (WPTC) — Modeled after the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC automatically qualifies for the state credit. The WPTC can put as much as $805 back in the pockets of eligible Pennsylvanians. Taxpayers filing by mail must include a copy of their federal Form 1040 with their PA-40 so the department can verify credit eligibility.

• Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit — Available to ease child and dependent care costs for working families in Pennsylvania. Eligible Pennsylvanians can receive between $600 and $2,100, depending on their income level and number of dependents.

• Student Loan Interest Deduction — Student loan interest is now an allowable deduction, up to $2,500 per taxable year.

• Tax Forgiveness (Special Poverty) — Retired and low-income Pennsylvanians may reduce all or part of their Pennsylvania personal income tax liability.

Taxpayer service and assistance

Taxpayers can call 717787-8201 to connect with the Department of Revenue (DOR)’s Customer Experience Center (CEC). Hours will be extended from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.

Personal income tax assistance is also available through the Department’s Online Customer Service Center. The Online Customer Service Center contains answers to hundreds of personal income tax questions and allows taxpayers to securely submit a question to DOR through a process that is as easy as sending an email.

Taxpayers can check the status of their refunds online by selecting the Where’s My Income Tax Refund? link on DOR’s homepage or by calling 1-888-PATAXES. Taxpayers will be prompted to provide their Social Security number and requested refund amount to obtain the current status.

myPATH

Pennsylvanians can file their PA Personal Income Tax Return (PA-40) for free using myPATH — short for My Pennsylvania Tax Hub. The platform is accessible on computers, tablets and mobile devices and includes automatic calculators to help reduce errors and provide instant confirmation once a return is successfully filed. myPATH is available for state tax filing only; taxpayers will need to find other options to file federal and local returns.

Taxpayers do not need to create a username or password in order to file a PA40. To file, taxpayers need a Social Security number and either:

• Tax liability from a previous year, or

• Date of birth and Pennsylvania driver’s license or photo ID information.

• Taxpayers can also file their PA-40 through myPATH in Spanish, and DOR offers a Spanish Language Resources page with additional resources.

Extensions

If additional time to file is needed, taxpayers still have the option to file a request for an extension to file their Pennsylvania personal income tax return. The extension is available for up to six months. As a reminder, an extension of time to file does not extend the deadline to make a payment if you owe taxes to the commonwealth, including applicable late-filing payment fees, interest and penalties.