PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2001 Avoiding Common Tax Filing Errors WASHINGTON, DC - Each year during the tax-filing season, the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) must return incomplete tax returns because of easily avoided errors. To help ease taxpayer confusion, OTR has compiled a list of the most common errors found on District of Columbia individual income tax returns. The Office of Tax and Revenue is also available to help. Our customer service centers have extended hours this week - Monday through Friday, from 8:15 am to 6 pm, and on Saturday, April 14, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. On Monday, April 16, we will be open until 8:00 pm. Taxpayers may call 202-727-4TAX (4829) or come by the Walk-in Customer Service Center on the first floor of 941 North Capitol Street, NE. OTR also will help prepare your District tax return, for free. Most Common Errors on Income Tax Returns: Failing to attach a W-2 (wage statement) form. Forgetting to sign the return. (Both primary and secondary signatures are required if your spouse is filing jointly.) Failing to indicate filing status. Forgetting to attach a copy of required federal schedules for itemized deductions. (Schedule A, Schedule C, Schedule D, etc.) Failing to include or transposing the digits in the Social Security number. Forgetting dependent's information such as name, Social Security number and relationship status. Failing to include the death certificate, Form FR-147, or Letter of Administration (probate court) of a deceased taxpayer. Failing to attach a copy of the state return when filing for an out-of-state tax credit. Requesting an extension to file a tax return without paying taxes due by April 15. Taking both the itemized deduction and the standard deduction. (A taxpayer can elect only one, and it must be the same one elected on the Federal return.) Arriving at DC Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) by simply "backing out" of the Federal AGI, instead of calculating DC AGI using the "Additions" and "Subtractions" lines. Most Common Errors on Schedule Hs: Failing to include "Square Number" and "Lot Number" for real property owners. Failing to include landlord's name, landlord's address, landlord's telephone number and the dollar amount of the rent when claiming credits based on rent. Failing to report income earned by all people living in the household and/or failing to provide the names and Social Security numbers of unrelated household members. Failing to have a physician-signed certificate as required when claiming a credit for disability. Taxpayers living in public or subsidized housing during the year are not entitled to a Rental Property Tax Credit and should not file a Schedule H.