File Arkansas Taxes

Taxpayers who either lived or worked in Arkansas during the previous tax year are required to submit a state tax return if their incomes meet established guidelines.

Guidelines for Who Must File AR Taxes

Individual taxpayers who are filing single must have earned at least $14,266 before they are required to file an Arkansas taxes. People who file as Head of Household (HOH) with one or no dependents must have earned $20,283 while an HOH filer with two or more qualifying dependents needs to earn $24,177 before filing.

Married couples filing separately are required to file if they earned at least $9,410. Married couples filing jointly must file if they earned $24,058 one or no dependents, or $28,954 with two or more dependents. A qualifying widow or widower is required to file if he or she earned $20,283 with one or no dependent, or $24,177 with two or more dependents.

Self-employed taxpayers must file state income taxes regardless of their filing status or income levels.

Those who are non-residents of Arkansas, yet earned incomes at least part of the year within the state are also required to file Arkansas taxes.

Who Needs to File an Amended Return

Arkansas taxpayers should file an amended state return if they meet certain criteria, for instance, if they claimed exemptions to which they were not entitled. If they claimed exemptions to which they were not entitled. While this is optional, they may wish to file an amended return if they failed to claim exemptions to which they were entitled. Also, state tax filers must submit an amended return if they were at anytime audited by the IRS and the IRS' finding impacted the status of their state return.

Dates & Status

You have until April 15 of each tax year to file your AR taxes. An extension can be requested, but this must be submitted on or before April 15 as well. If a taxpayer does not file, they may be penalized at a rate of five percent each month until they do. Moreover, all income tax is due by April 15 regardless of whether an extension has been filed. Any balance outstanding after this date is subject to a penalty of one percent each month the amount is past-due.

Taxpayers who are owed refunds can check their refund statuses on the Department of Finance and Administration website (address and website information can be found here). To use this service you must know the whole dollar amount of your expected refund, as well as the primary taxpayer's Social Security number.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered income when filing taxes?
Income means wages, salaries, and tips. The income classification also includes interest from bank accounts, dividends, and money markets, as well as alimony, business receipts, some pension payments, and gambling winnings.

What is the Border City Exemption?
Texarkana, AR, and Texarkana, TX straddle the states' borders. State income tax requirements are different in these two cities than in the rest of Arkansas because Texas doesn't have a state income tax. Specifically:

• If you are a permanent resident of Texarkana, AR (and you work in the city), you don't need to pay state income taxes. You still need to file your Arkansas Individual Income Tax Return and submit the appropriate documentation. You also must submit the form AR-TX to prove your residency.
• If you are a permanent resident of Texarkana, TX, and work in a job located in Texarkana, AR, that income is exempt from Arkansas taxation. As above, you need to submit appropriate documentation and the form AR-TX.

The above is the exception for Texarkana only. Income earned in other Arkansas towns and cities is subject to state taxes.

When can I expect my refund?
If you filed your taxes electronically, you should receive your refund within 21 business days after the receipt of the return is acknowledged. A paper return requires more time; allow up to 10 weeks from the time you mailed it. Failure to sign your return or forgetting to attach the necessary forms, schedules, and other documentation could delay your refund.

 

Note: States & U.S. territories may make changes to their tax laws with little notice. We do our best to keep this information up-to-date, but it is provided on an "AS IS" basis. For more see our terms.