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I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

 
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Accepted Solutions
Hal_Al
Level 15

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

Contact your city and make arrangements to file and pay.  You can usually take your W-2(s) to city hall and they will prepare your returns for you.  Some Ohio cities use one of two regional tax collection agencies**. If your city does, you will be directed to the Agency's web site.

 

For a list of all Ohio cities with an income tax go to http://www.tax.ohio.gov/municipalities/municipal_income_tax_forms.aspx

From there, there is a link to each city’s web site and/or RITA / CCA

 

TurboTax (TT) does not automatically prepare a city return, you must initiate it.  Even then, it can only prepare CCA and RITA returns. If your city is not a member of either agency, TT was not able to prepare your city return.

At the screen, in the Ohio program, titled 
 "A few things before we wrap up your state taxes"
      scroll down to Ohio City taxes. 
Or, later
"Your 2018 Ohio Taxes are ready for us to check"
    -Click Other situations
    -Scroll down to Ohio City taxes. 

TT cannot e-file an Ohio City or RITA return. It must be printed and mailed.

I actually find it easier to fill out a city return by hand or at the city, CCA or RITA web site, than to use TT. Things don't happen automatically and you need to know what you’re doing. The actual  RITA/city forms are easier to follow than the TT interview. There were major changes to the RITA form, this year.

 

**235 cities and 331 villages in Ohio have an income tax, including Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.  Ohio law requires a flat rate that cannot exceed 1%, unless it is approved by the voters.  Ohio local income tax rates range from 0.40% in Indian Hill to 3% in Parma Heights.

There are 2 state wide agencies that help Ohio Cities collect City Income taxes. One is CCA (Central Collection Agency) and the other, larger one, is RITA (Regional Income Tax Agency). There is a pull down list of cities, in Turbo Tax(TT), for both City Tax Forms (CCA) & RITA. TurboTax can only do RITA & CCA cities.  But many  Ohio cities use neither agency. These cities design their own forms and require you to use them.  You can get paper copies from the individual city. Most are available at the city’s web site. Many cities will prepare the tax return for you, but you have to go to city hall in person. Some may have on line filing (try the city web site). 

View solution in original post

Hal_Al
Level 15

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

 

Yours is a common situation. You will not go to jail. You will pay late fees and penalties.

 

 You normally only have to file a return in the city you live in. It is not necessary to file one in the city you work in, if different. Your employer will remit withholding to the city you work in, but you do not file a return unless you're claiming a refund or your employer didn't withhold enough ( both highly unusual). The city you live in will allow a credit or partial credit for the withheld tax you paid to the work location city. You may end up owing your resident city nothing (except late filing fees), but you are still required to file a return. If you live and work in the same city and your employer did withhold the exact correct amount, you usually still have to file a return. Some cities, like Cincinnati, Dayton & Toledo, do not require you to file if the exact amount is withheld. Incidentally, employers are only required to withhold for the work city, although many will voluntarily withhold for the resident city as well. Employees of most big companies, in Ohio, seldom owe any city tax, at tax time (but they still have to file a city return), because the employer holds out exactly the right amount for both work and resident city, taking into account the credit.

To verify or find out if you live in a school district** or city with an income tax enter your address at:

http://www.tax.ohio.gov/Individual/LocalTaxInformation.aspx

 

Ohio has both School District Income tax (SDIT) and City income tax.  The two are not interchangeable. That is, if you paid city tax to your work location city, you cannot use that to get a credit for your SDIT. 

View solution in original post

21 Replies

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

[ .. ]

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

You don't even know my city

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

Sorry for the comment by fanfare. You'll just have to file the forms now and pay  whatever fines and interest are applied.

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

It's been since 2010.  I'm just freaking out right now. I live in ohio
Hal_Al
Level 15

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

Contact your city and make arrangements to file and pay.  You can usually take your W-2(s) to city hall and they will prepare your returns for you.  Some Ohio cities use one of two regional tax collection agencies**. If your city does, you will be directed to the Agency's web site.

 

For a list of all Ohio cities with an income tax go to http://www.tax.ohio.gov/municipalities/municipal_income_tax_forms.aspx

From there, there is a link to each city’s web site and/or RITA / CCA

 

TurboTax (TT) does not automatically prepare a city return, you must initiate it.  Even then, it can only prepare CCA and RITA returns. If your city is not a member of either agency, TT was not able to prepare your city return.

At the screen, in the Ohio program, titled 
 "A few things before we wrap up your state taxes"
      scroll down to Ohio City taxes. 
Or, later
"Your 2018 Ohio Taxes are ready for us to check"
    -Click Other situations
    -Scroll down to Ohio City taxes. 

TT cannot e-file an Ohio City or RITA return. It must be printed and mailed.

I actually find it easier to fill out a city return by hand or at the city, CCA or RITA web site, than to use TT. Things don't happen automatically and you need to know what you’re doing. The actual  RITA/city forms are easier to follow than the TT interview. There were major changes to the RITA form, this year.

 

**235 cities and 331 villages in Ohio have an income tax, including Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.  Ohio law requires a flat rate that cannot exceed 1%, unless it is approved by the voters.  Ohio local income tax rates range from 0.40% in Indian Hill to 3% in Parma Heights.

There are 2 state wide agencies that help Ohio Cities collect City Income taxes. One is CCA (Central Collection Agency) and the other, larger one, is RITA (Regional Income Tax Agency). There is a pull down list of cities, in Turbo Tax(TT), for both City Tax Forms (CCA) & RITA. TurboTax can only do RITA & CCA cities.  But many  Ohio cities use neither agency. These cities design their own forms and require you to use them.  You can get paper copies from the individual city. Most are available at the city’s web site. Many cities will prepare the tax return for you, but you have to go to city hall in person. Some may have on line filing (try the city web site). 

Hal_Al
Level 15

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

 

Yours is a common situation. You will not go to jail. You will pay late fees and penalties.

 

 You normally only have to file a return in the city you live in. It is not necessary to file one in the city you work in, if different. Your employer will remit withholding to the city you work in, but you do not file a return unless you're claiming a refund or your employer didn't withhold enough ( both highly unusual). The city you live in will allow a credit or partial credit for the withheld tax you paid to the work location city. You may end up owing your resident city nothing (except late filing fees), but you are still required to file a return. If you live and work in the same city and your employer did withhold the exact correct amount, you usually still have to file a return. Some cities, like Cincinnati, Dayton & Toledo, do not require you to file if the exact amount is withheld. Incidentally, employers are only required to withhold for the work city, although many will voluntarily withhold for the resident city as well. Employees of most big companies, in Ohio, seldom owe any city tax, at tax time (but they still have to file a city return), because the employer holds out exactly the right amount for both work and resident city, taking into account the credit.

To verify or find out if you live in a school district** or city with an income tax enter your address at:

http://www.tax.ohio.gov/Individual/LocalTaxInformation.aspx

 

Ohio has both School District Income tax (SDIT) and City income tax.  The two are not interchangeable. That is, if you paid city tax to your work location city, you cannot use that to get a credit for your SDIT. 

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

Can I change my email that’s a old one there using 

Hal_Al
Level 15

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

@Demarco  

You're tagging on to an old thread in a  user to user forum. 

To contact TurboTax (TT) support:
https://turbotax.intuit.com/support/contact/index.jsp 

In the search line enter some keywords or question without quotes. On the next page, skip the suggested topic links and scroll down until you see CALL US.  It should show the wait times.  

Live help is available 7 days per week from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. PST.  Jan 11- May 21)

Week days 5 AM - 5 PM Pacific time.], after May

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

Hi, I feel you believe me. I'm in the same situation living in Ohio, and I've lived in 3 other states before.

I've never heard of this but it's true. I am also not impressed with the replies you have gotten as they are mundane and pointless. As soon as I received a warning, I went on line as a good citizen: guess what, I got a $125 fine for my efforts. Now the city is asking me to go back another year and file. Why, so I can pay another fine when I owe 0 to thecity? It's BS, and of course a one way communication. I will get my day in court and let you know how it goes.

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

@emike53 This is a very old thread, so no one knows who you are replying to or what "same situation" you are in, since multiple users have posted to this thread during the past several years.   Ohio has a complex system of city and school taxes, and yes, it is confusing if you moved to Ohio and were not aware of the local/city taxes you needed to pay.   But you do need to get caught up on them.   Depending on where you live and work, sometimes your employer will withhold your local tax----but not always.    So it is your responsibility to learn about your local taxes and pay them.

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899325-which-city-tax-returns-can-i-do-in-the-turbotax-state-prog...

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3151087-ohio-form-sd-100-showing-different-school-district-numbers...

 

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3537370-how-do-i-pay-my-ohio-school-district-tax

 

 

https://tax.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/tax/individual/school-district-income-tax

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3976472-did-turbotax-file-my-rita-for-ohio

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4405762-when-i-e-file-ohio-taxes-do-my-local-rita-taxes-also-get-e...

 

RITA Web site:  http://www.ritaohio.com/

 

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

@emike53 If you tell us where you live and where you work in Ohio we can give you more information on how to take care of your local taxes.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

Kidding me with all the high & mightier's responding to this even if it's old. People are having the same experience in 2021 it's very obvious what the other responders are talking about. 1st hand account lived here all my days and did NOT know you are REQUIRED to file a whole return just for this crap city of Toledo. Working since 17 only now getting the threatening notice to send them information because I've magically gone 'unreported' in recent years which is absurd bc my employers, EVERY LAST ONE, took this cities rate out every single last check! Even the temp agencies paying $68 for the work assignment that day, even if the work was done in Michigan, took Toledo's stuff out. I, probably like everyone else responding here, had every honest reason to believe that was all that needed to be done it was taken out already every pay. I'd NEVER EVER BEEN TOLD BY ANYONE I had to file a whole separate return for the city infact my now ex-husband once told me no one files city besides the self-employed bc it's not worth it as you won't get much if anything back, but he never said it was REQUIRED.

Sitting up on your high horse basically talking about 'it's your fault you didn't file now just be quiet & pay the fines & fees' completely ignores the fact the city itself doesn't say jack $#&* about needing to file a city return. They don't send forms, notices, postcard, do a news announcement at tax time.. NOTHING to people's houses they know are employed when they have this info from the IRS! That is sinister & plain WRONG bc by time you find out (being asked far back as 2017!) you've no doubt wracked up hundreds in fees/fines! How hard is it to tell people they need to do this the IRS has no issue letting everyone know they have to file if they got income!
You ignore the reality those who are already impoverished suffer most as you can imagine bc it sounds like it doesn't matter if your W2 shows you properly paid or not you've already been slapped with fines you likely can't pay as I can't since I've had no income for months. It's utterly sick considering the fact Amazon came around here, built 2 buildings, 1 in Rossford, OH.... & DOESN'T PAY a DIME IN TAXES! But they can totally afford that going after poor single parents on a false belief of unpaid taxes from a slave wage job is so much more important! 

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

one way to express your displeasure with the local government is to vote for the other party in the next election. 

 

Turbotax does do Toledo but you likely have to specify it while doing your return.

 

If your employers were taking out Toledo withholding, you might not owe much except for any late filing penalties.    In Ohio, in 2015 it cost the state more than $25,000 per year to house each inmate.  There would also be the cost of a trial and the cost of a public defender if you couldn't afford a lawyer.  it many cases all the government is interested in is getting as much of the taxes owed as possible

Hal_Al
Level 15

I never knew I had too file city taxes. I thought they automatically did it for you. What will happen?? Jail time?

@UsOHcitizen43 

From the Toledo Tax ordinance:

"Any resident or nonresident taxpayer whose sole income subject to tax by the Municipality is qualifying wages, and tax has been fully withheld on those wages, is exempt from filing an annual income tax return with the Municipality or a nonresident who has gambling income from which the City of Toledo tax has been fully withheld is exempt from filing an annual income tax return with the Municipality".

 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/toledo/latest/toledo_oh/0-0-0-115206#JD_1905.05

 

If you still have your W-2s, you may only need to provide the city copies. You may want to contact the city for specific instructions.  By the way, Toledo is one of the very few Ohio cities with this filing exception.

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