The Arizona Department of Revenue reminded Arizona taxpayers in a press release this week that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wednesday, April 15 deadline for filing and paying individual, corporate and fiduciary 2019 calendar year tax returns was moved to July 15, but those wishing to claim tax credits must do so by Wednesday.

The new deadline means taxpayers filing state tax returns or submitting payments by July 15 will not be assessed late filing or late payment penalties and interest.

For more information, please go to Arizona General Tax Notice (GTN) 20-1, the release stated.

Individual income tax filers looking for tax information or needing additional assistance this tax filing season can take advantage of the following resources:

Free File Alliance: A public-private partnership between ADOR and a consortium of tax preparation software companies. The free file program offers free filing services to Arizona individual taxpayers who meet certain criteria.

E-File: Visit the Arizona Department of Revenue’s E-Services page to view the list of software providers certified to submit electronically filed returns with ADOR.

Online Forms: Arizona offers fillable tax forms designed for taxpayers who prefer to prepare their returns.

Live Chat: ADOR Live Chat is available online Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to answer inquiries for general questions and offers navigational guides in real-time.

Phone: Customers seeking information on particular private taxpayer matters or confidential account information can speak to our Customer Care at 602-255-3381 or 800-352-4090.

Taxpayers who want to claim tax credits on their 2019 individual income taxes for donations to qualifying charitable organizations, certified school tuition organizations and public schools must do so by Wednesday, the release stated.

Arizona provides two separate tax credits for individuals who make contributions to charitable organizations: one for donations to Qualifying Charitable Organizations and the second for donations to Qualifying Foster Care Charitable Organizations.

Two separate nonrefundable tax credits are available to individuals for contributions made to a Certified School Tuition Organization, which provides scholarships for students enrolled in Arizona private schools.

An individual may claim a nonrefundable tax credit for making contributions or paying fees directly to a public school in Arizona for support of eligible activities, programs or purposes as defined by statute.

To confirm certified qualifying charities and more information on QCO and QFCO tax credits, see https://azdor.gov/tax-credits/contributions-qcos-and-qfcos. A taxpayer can only claim a tax credit for donations made to certified charities from the list for the year in which the donation was made. For example, donations made during 2020 must be to a charity shown on the 2020 QCO or QFCO list.

Once confirming an organization is certified, taxpayers are required to use the “QCO Code” or “QFCO Code” to claim the tax credits for contributions.

For more information on Arizona’s charitable tax credits and what forms to use, go to https://azdor.gov/tax-credits.

For more information on the state’s tax system, visit the Arizona Department of Revenue’s website at www.azdor.gov.