Lilly Highlights Tax Amnesty Program

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  – State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is highlighting an upcoming tax amnesty program offered by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), which offers local taxpayers the opportunity to eliminate back taxes that may be owed to the state without penalty.

“For whatever reason someone may owe back taxes, a tax amnesty program gives them the ability to become current and relieve a debt,” Lilly said. “The weight of outstanding taxes not only burdens an individual with a tax debt, but it can also harm our economy by preventing otherwise eligible people from being able to make critical investments in their life, such as purchasing a home.”

The IDOR tax amnesty program was created as part of a Lilly-backed law, Senate Bill 689, and gives consumers and businesses the opportunity to pay outstanding taxes with penalties and interested waived if the tax liability occurred between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2018. In order to have interest and penalties waved, a taxpayer must pay all outstanding tax from the period covered by the amnesty. Taxpayers who failed to file tax returns during the applicable amnesty period and those who need to make changes to previously filed returns are eligible for the program. Additional information on tax liabilities that qualify for amnesty and payment options can be found at IDOR’s website, tax.illinois.gov.

“If you’ve made a mistake and you owe back taxes to the state of Illinois, now is the time to become current. You can pay what owe and do it without interest or penalty payments,” Lilly said. “I highly encourage anyone who has a tax debt to the state to check their eligibility for this amnesty program.”