The following information was provided by the Village of Bluffton for the convenience of those filing income tax returns. A printable version is also attached.

It’s tax time again. Below you will find important information in regards to filing your 2021 Village of Bluffton income tax return. 

The Village of Bluffton income tax filing deadline date for tax year 2021 returns will be Monday, April 18, 2022, for all taxpayers, except fiscal year accounts or taxpayers on Federal extensions.

We recommend that you bring your return to the Village of Bluffton, Income Tax Department which is located in the Town Hall building at 154 N. Main St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817. The lobby is always open to pickup tax forms or drop-off returns, everyday of the week, 24 hours a day. The administration office window is open from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. If the window is closed, please place your return and payment in an envelope and write “Income Tax” on the outside and place it in the locked night-drop box located on the wall beside the elevator. The night drop box is opened daily, Monday - Friday. If you drop your return off after hours, it will be stamped with the next business day’s date.

Returns may also be mailed, however each taxpayer is responsible to make sure their return has been received by the village Income Tax Department by the April 18, 2022 due date. Returns delivered to the Income Tax Department after this date will be assessed late fees and interest. Exceptions will not be made due to it being delivered to us late by the USPS, Fed-Ex, UPS or any other delivery system.

The Village of Bluffton is a MANDATORY income tax filing municipality. This means that any person, age 18 or older, who resided within the village either full-time or part-time during tax year 2021, is required to file a Bluffton income tax return by April 18, 2022. This is regardless of how much was earned or lost in the case of a business and even if your employer has fully withheld and paid income tax into the village on your behalf. EVEN IF YOU DO NOT OWE ANY INCOME TAX TO THE VILLAGE OF BLUFFTON, YOU STILL MUST COMPLETE AND FILE A VILLAGE INCOME TAX RETURN FORM. PENALTY AND INTEREST FEES WILL BE APPLIED TO THOSE WHO DO NOT FILE!!

Each resident must report any income they earned during the year and pay income tax on all income earned (i.e. salaries, wages, commissions or other compensation such as farm income, rental income, business income or income from working any part-time job such as babysitting, mowing etc…). 

Any college student who worked in another community, and did not officially change their domicile from Bluffton to another community prior to the start of tax year 2021, must file a Village of Bluffton income tax return.

The village income tax rate is 1.25% of your total GROSS wages earned while you resided in Bluffton.

If tax is owed, you are expected to pay the tax that is owed at the time of filing your return.

If you owe more than $200 in income tax to the Village of Bluffton at the time of filing your 2021 village return, you are required by law to make estimated tax payments towards the tax that will be owed for tax year 2022. Estimated payment vouchers can be found on the shelf in the Town Hall lobby or on the village’s website. Quarterly estimated payments will be due on the following dates:

1st Quarter: April 15

2nd Quarter: June 15

3rd Quarter: September 15

4th Quarter: January 15 for individuals, December 15 for businesses

The only people who will be exempt from filing, are those who are permanently retired or disabled, individuals who are under the age of 18, or an individual who did not have any taxable income during tax year 2021 and they have completed and submitted an Exemption Certificate form by April 18, 2022. 

Any resident who was under the age of 18 during the entire tax year of 2021, is exempt from filing a Village of Bluffton income tax return if they worked, regardless of how much they made. However, such individuals may complete a village return to request a refund for any Bluffton income tax that was withheld from their pay and paid in by their employer. Please make sure to include your birth date on the village income tax return.  

Taxpayers who are in need of an extension of time to file their tax return must file a Village of Bluffton extension request form by April 18, 2022 or attach a copy of their federal extension request form to their village return and file it by the federal extension date, in order for the extension to be granted. 

Extensions that are granted will typically extend the filing deadline by six months to October 15. 

Filing an extension only extends the due date for filing a return. It does NOT extend the length of time to remit any tax owed. Any tax owed will still be due by April 18, 2022.

Taxpayers may receive a refund for overpaid taxes only if the amount overpaid is more than $10.00. Likewise, taxpayers will not be required to remit tax due that is less than $10.00. However, even if the tax due is less than $10.00, taxpayers ARE STILL REQUIRED to file a Village of Bluffton income tax return. 

Business, farm and rental losses (Schedules C, E, F, K-1 and Forms 4797 and 4835) are not permitted to be netted against personal wages or income to reduce taxable income. 

The municipality will impose penalty and interest charges if a taxpayer fails to file their return or remit the appropriate amount of income tax owed to the village by the April 18, 2022 due date. For 2021 returns, the penalty and interest charges will be as follows:

Late Filing Fee: The municipality will impose a $25.00 per month late filing fee for failing to file by the April 18, 2022 deadline date, up to a $150 maximum. 

Late Payment Fee: The municipality will impose a one-time, fifteen percent (15%) late payment penalty on the amount owed for tax year 2021, for failing to pay any tax owed to the municipality by the April 18, 2022 deadline date.   

Interest Fee: Monthly interest shall be imposed on all unpaid income tax. The interest rate for 2021 will be: .42%.  

A full description of the village’s income tax requirements and tax forms can be found on the village’s website at www.bluffton-ohio.com, under the Income Tax tab. Village of Bluffton income tax return forms and other tax related documents can also be found on the shelf in the Town Hall lobby located at 154 N. Main St., Bluffton.

Please direct all tax questions to the Village of Bluffton Income Tax Department by calling (419) 358-2066, ext. 105 or send an email to [email protected].