TAX REFUNDS BEING ISSUED FOR EITC

Feb. 19, 2017

 As the IRS begins releasing refunds for taxpayers who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit, the tax agency reminded taxpayers that they should not expect refunds to be available in bank accounts or on debit cards until the week of Feb. 27. The additional time is due to several factors, including weekends, the Presidents Day holiday and the time banks often need to process direct deposits.

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Many of these refunds had been held since the filing season started in late January due to new requirements the 2015 Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act.

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Find out the status of your refund on IRS.gov by visiting the “Where’s My Refund?” tool.  “Where’s My Refund?” will be updated Feb. 18 for the vast majority of early filers who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit. Before Feb. 18, some taxpayers may see a projected date or a message that the IRS is processing their return. The IRS added that “Where’s My Refund?” is only updated once daily, usually overnight, so there’s no need to check it multiple times per day.

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Here are a few important things to know about tax refunds:

• Nine out of 10 refunds are issued in less than 21 days.

• IRS customer service representatives cannot provide individual refund information before the 21 days has elapsed.

• The filing season started later this year, on Jan. 23. Although taxpayers could submit returns with a software provider or tax preparer in early January, the return was not filed with the IRS until the filing season opened.

• “Where’s my Refund?” can also be accessed through the mobile app, IRS2Go. 

• “Where’s My Refund?” is updated once daily. Checking the tool multiple times each day will not produce new information or different results.

• The Get Transcript tool will not reveal a tax refund status, despite the social media myth to the contrary.

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EUP CITIZEN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO MEET

Feb. 15, 2017

The Eastern Upper Peninsula Citizens’ Advisory Council is scheduled to discuss several interesting topics – ranging from supplemental deer feeding triggers to an off-road vehicle route proposal in Mackinac County – when the panel meets Thursday, Feb. 23 in Newberry.

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“The council meetings give the public an opportunity to provide input and learn what’s new on DNR topics important to the Upper Peninsula,” said John Pepin, DNR deputy public information officer. “There’s always a great deal of information provided at council sessions and plenty of available council members and DNR staff to answer questions.”

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The Eastern U.P. Citizens’ Advisory Council and its western U.P. counterpart meet alternating months throughout the year.

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This month’s session in Luce County will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. EST in the conference room at the Luce-Mackinac-Alger-Schoolcraft (LMAS) Health Department, located at 14150 Hamilton Lake Road in Newberry.

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Additional topics to be discussed include the U.P. Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force, DNR forest road inventory, existing rules for modified vehicles and a council self-evaluation survey review.

The public can participate in the session by offering comments to the discussion during two specified periods at the meeting (for instructions on comment procedures, see www.michigan.gov/upcac).

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The DNR’s eastern and western Upper Peninsula citizens’ advisory councils are designed to provide local input to advise the DNR on regional programs and policies, identify areas in which the department can be more effective and responsive and offer insight and guidance from members’ own experiences and constituencies.

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The council members represent a wide variety of natural resource and recreation interests. Agenda items are set by the council members and council recommendations are forwarded to the DNR for consideration.

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Anyone interested in being considered as a future council member should fill out the application form found on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/upcac. For more information, contact the DNR Upper Peninsula regional coordinator’s office at 906-226-1331.

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SOO CO-OP TO CLOSE PARADISE BRANCH

Feb. 9, 2017

Effective March 15, the Paradise Branch of Soo Co-op Credit Union will be closed. SCCU sent the following statement to members:

"We continuously evaluate our products and services, hours of operation, security and technology, staff and branch locations so as to ensure that we are always doing what is best for the membership and the credit union. It is with great regret to inform you that we will be closing our Paradise Branch effective March 15, 2017. The decision to close a branch is never an easy one. As technology continues to advance, the demand for electronic services continues to increase. Growth strategies based on branch development have shifted to satisfying the membership's demand for electronic delivery."

 

Hours of operation until the closure are : Feb. 10 - 24, Tuesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 

March 1-15 (through the end of the business day): Wednesdays only, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 

None of the other branches will be impacted by the closure.
 

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TAX AIDE FOR SENIORS

AARP will provide free tax preparation on Fridays in February and March to Seniors and others, by appointment. Call 906-632-8368 for more information and to make an appointment.

 

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