Comptroller's tax return insert will shine light on government spending
CHICAGO - As her office began issuing state income tax refunds this week, Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger urged taxpayers Thursday to register online to check the status of their returns and sign up for text message and email payment notifications.
The easy-to-use Tax Refund Alert System allows taxpayers to visit illinoiscomptroller.com and enter their name and Social Security Number to see if the Comptroller's Office has processed their refund. Taxpayers also can enter an email address and phone number to receive a payment notification.
In addition, Munger announced her office will include inserts with all tax returns detailing where the State of Illinois spent $36.7 billion in 2014, information on the state's bill backlog, and other tools to help taxpayers learn about state and local finances. Those who receive their tax refunds through Direct Deposit may view the tax insert digitally if they register for the Tax Refund Alert System.
"Our team at the Comptroller's office is dedicated to making state government more helpful for taxpayers. Our tax refund alert system and tax return insert will make it easier for them to track their refunds and monitor government spending," Munger said. "We will continue to focus on making government more efficient, transparent, and accessible while offering taxpayer-friendly tools to help our citizens follow the money."
Specifically, the tax return insert provides a spending breakdown by stage agency on everything from Education and Medicaid to Human Services and Corrections. It further provides snapshots of the state's unpaid bills over time, documenting the backlog at the end of the fiscal year and six months later at the end of the calendar year. Finally, it refers residents to the Comptroller's transparency websites, the Ledger and the Warehouse, for more detail on state and local finances.###
