With just one week to go until the October 6 deadline for the submission of personal income tax returns, Treasury has announced extra assistance to help people complete their forms online.

The out-of-hours telephone service starts this Sunday afternoon (October 1) and will be also be available in the evenings next Monday to Thursday inclusive.

Exact times are as follows:

Sunday 1 October 2017 – 2pm to 8pm
Monday 2 October to Wednesday 4 October – 5:30pm to 8pm
Thursday 5 October – 5:30pm to 8pm

Gerard Higgins, Business Solutions Group Manager with the Treasury’s Income Tax Division, explained: ‘More than 1 in 3 taxpayers are now submitting their tax returns online and during recent years the out of hours telephone service has not only received considerable uptake for assistance in completion of online returns but we have also seen many callers wishing to register for the service and submit their return online for the first time’

To assist new users the online enrolment process can be completed to enable immediate submission of their return online by calling 685400 (option 2) during normal office hours or through the extended hours telephone service as announced.

Paper returns can be put through the letterboxes located at the front entrance to, or on the 2nd floor inside, Government Office.

If anyone requires a duplicate return, they should contact the Division immediately so that it can be issued and returned before the deadline.

If the Income Tax Division has not received personal tax returns for the year ended 5 April 2017 by 6 October 2017, taxpayers will be charged a ?100 penalty. If the return has still not been received by the Division by 6 April 2018, a further ?200 penalty will be charged.

Even if the penalties are paid, the return must still be submitted and people may be prosecuted for failing to do so.