Frequently Asked Questions
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Why did I receive a Reminder Notice for a Local Earned Income Tax Final Return for the area I resided in last year?
Current legislation, ACT 32 of 2009, requires, under Section 502, that:
(1) Every taxpayer shall, on or before April 15 of the succeeding year, make and file with the resident tax officer, a final return showing the amount of taxable income received during the period beginning January 1 of the current year and ending December 31 of the current year, the total amount of tax due on the taxable income, the amount of tax paid, the amount of tax that has been withheld under section 512 and the balance of tax due. All amounts reported shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar. At the time of filing the final return, the taxpayer shall pay the resident tax officer the balance of the tax due or shall make demand for refund or credit in the case of overpayment.
Based upon this requirement; taxpayers who had received any taxable wages and/or net profits, or had been supplied a final return by the tax administrator for their taxing jurisdiction, are required to file a final return with the administrator, even if no taxes are due.
What income is taxable and needs to be reported?
Check the PIT Guide for what is taxable and not taxable.
Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Guide (PIT)
The form includes a $25.00 Fee on it, what is this for?
Our contractual agreements with each of the 32 County Tax Collection Districts that we serve grant us authority, under ACT 192, to apply our fees to individuals who have failed to file an individual return with us. This fee is applied so that the taxing bodies and taxpayers who comply with the requirements of ACT 32 do not have to pay for those individuals who fail to comply or pay their taxes on time.
Now that I have received a Reminder Notice what must I do?
Please return the completed form including the supporting documentation showing any wages paid (W-2/1099) and/or Net Profits earned (Schedule PA1120/Schedule PA-C) for the tax year in question. You may file and pay by mail, online by clicking here, or you may use our fast and convenient BerkApp. More information and links to download our app can be found by clicking here.
If any of the following scenarios apply to you please follow the directions provided for each:
If you are a HOUSEWIFE, RETIRED, a STUDENT, UNEMPLOYED and/or DISABLED with no earned income or received a form for a DECEASED individual, please check the appropriate box on the form provided, sign it and return it to us. The $25.00 fee that is shown on the return will be waived for this tax year as a one-time courtesy to you. You can also provide this information to us by calling the number listed on the form.
If you are EMPLOYED by an employer who withholds the local earned income tax from your pay and the full amount of taxes due have been withheld, please complete the return per the instructions provided and attach copies of your W-2’s and return the form to us along with a check for the $25.00 fee shown on the form.
If you are EMPLOYED by an employer that does NOT withhold the tax from your pay and/or are SELF-EMPLOYED, please complete the return by entering your earnings (wages and/or net profits) on the appropriate lines. If you have made estimated payments throughout the year, enter those on Line 11 and complete the return indicating the taxes or refund due. You will then need to add the $25.00 fee shown and remit payment of the taxes, as well as any penalties and interest indicated by your calculation. Once you have completed doing so, please return the form, supporting documents and payment to us to the appropriate address shown.
If you had your taxes prepared by a 3rd party provider (Accountant, H & R Block, Jackson Hewitt … etc.) it is possible that you simply overlooked mailing in the copy that they included in your packet this year. If this is the case and no taxes are due, simply attach the signed copy of the form from them to this letter and return it us. If there are taxes due, please include a check for the amount of taxes shown as due on the form, as well. In either scenario, the $25.00 fee shown will be waived as a one- time courtesy.
Can the fee be deducted from my refund?
Yes, you can deduct the fee from your refund if one is due.
Where do I mail my return?
Berkheimer Tax Administrator
PO Box 25146
Lehigh Valley, Pa. 18002
What do I do if I previously filed a return with Berkheimer?
Please send a copy of your tax return with W 2 Form(s) and schedules attached along with the Reminder Notice to:
Berkheimer Tax Administrator
PO Box 25146
Lehigh Valley, Pa. 18002
What do I do if I previously filed a return with another tax collector?
Please send a copy of your tax return with W 2 Form(s) and schedules attached that were filed with the other tax collector along with the Reminder Notice to:
Berkheimer Tax Administrator
PO Box 25146
Lehigh Valley, Pa. 18002
What do I do if I only lived at my residence part of the year?
You are required to file a return for any period of time you were/are a resident of a municipality for which Berkheimer is the tax administrator. You are required to file for the period of time you lived in that municipality and prorate your income, expenses, withholding, etc. Below is a formula you can use for prorating:
***Total year’s income / 12 months or 365 days X length of time living in Jurisdiction = Income taxable to that jurisdiction (same formula can be used for withheld and expenses)****
How do I calculate the interest due?
Interest is assessed at the rate of 3% per year if submitted after the original filing due date. (.000082 x # of days late x amount of tax due = Interest due).
Example: Payment of $100.00 was due April 30th and is made on May 30th. The payment is 30 days late.
Calculation would be: .000082 x 30 x 100 = $0.25 in interest due. Total due is $100.25.
How do I know what jurisdiction I reside in and if Berkheimer is the collector?
If you need to locate what jurisdiction you are residing, click here.
If you need to locate the tax rate and the collector for your jurisdiction, click here.
What do I do if I believe I received this Reminder Notice in error?
If you believe you received a Reminder Notice in error, click here to tell us why.
For additional Earned Income Tax final return information, click here.
Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Guide (PIT) – Find out what is taxable and what is not taxable.
If you have additional/specific questions that are not addressed above, please click on the link to send an inquiry to our customer care department.
