Individual FAQs - Refunds

Am I able to receive a refund of the tax my employer took out for my work city/village while I worked at home due to the pandemic?

For tax years 2021 and 2022, fill out and file an applicable Tax Year Form 10A (Tax Year 2022 Form 10A or Tax Year 2021 Form 10A) and you will be eligible to receive a refund of this withheld tax upon completion of an appropriate request for refund. Please be aware that some, or all, of the tax refund from the withheld municipality may be due to the municipality where the work was performed, including your residence community.

For tax year 2020, this question is still being decided in the courts. You can fill out and file a Tax Year 2020 Form 10A to request the refund, and RITA will hold the refund request until a final court decision is made. Make sure to complete the entire form, including checking the box at the top to indicate the request is related to COVID-19, and use Claim Reason Number 2.

How long will it be before the courts make a final decision?

It’s not clear right now when a final ruling will be made.  As of December 2022 there are several lawsuits pending across Ohio in various states of litigation.  

How will I know when a final court decision has been made?

When a final ruling is made RITA will either issue the Tax Year 2020 refund (if that’s the decision) or notify you that you are not eligible to receive the refund due to the court ruling. You can also check the status of the refund request yourself by setting up an account in MyAccount at ritaohio.com. While we are waiting for the final court ruling the status of your refund in MyAccount will be "SUSPENDED".

Remember that even if you are able to receive a refund of the tax withheld for your workplace city/village, you will likely owe that tax, or some portion of it to your residence community if that community has a tax. If your residence community is also a RITA member we will transfer the refund to the residence community and only refund to you any difference.

RITA has 90 days from the date a complete refund request is received to process the refund. RITA reviews refunds to ensure all requests are valid.

To avoid delays, include all required documentation with your request.

For Tax Year 2020 Only - Please see additional instructions related to COVID-19 refunds.

Log in to MyAccount and click on View History. You may also call our automated phone system at 800.860.7482 and follow the prompts.

Generally, yes if you work in a RITA municipality that has an exemption. Complete the Form 10A for the appropriate year and follow the directions for Claim Reason Number 1.

NOTE: Exceptions to the 18 years of age or younger exemption exist. For more information, visit the RITA Municipalities page, select the RITA municipality in which you worked and review the Special Notes section that relates to the appropriate tax year.

If the employment municipality is a RITA member, fill out the Form 10A for the appropriate year, Line 5 ("Amount of over withholding you want applied to your individual or joint account.....") to apply the overpayment to your resident tax balance.

If the employment municipality is not a RITA member, you need to contact that taxing authority and pay RITA the additional tax owed to your resident municipality.

Yes.  Separate 10As are required for each refund claim.  Examples of when separate 10As are required include:

  • Multiple municipalities for the same employer
  • Same municipality with different employers
  • Multiple tax years requested
  • Joint accounts in which both taxpayers have a request for a refund from a W-2

Beginning with Tax Year 2018, the unreimbursed employee expense (Form 2106) deduction has been eliminated for federal income tax purposes for most employees and municipal income tax refunds for this reason are not available for most employees.

Qualified performing artists, fee-basis state or local government officials and employees with impairment-related work expenses may still claim a refund for this reason.  Complete the Form 10A, select claim reason "Other" and submit a copy of page 1 of your Federal Form 1040 and Federal Form 2106.

For Tax Year 2017 and prior, complete the Form 10A and follow the directions for Claim Reason Number 2.

 

If you are required to file a RITA return, fill in Line 19 on the Form 37.

If you have already filed Form 37 or are not required to file, fill out the Form 10A for the appropriate year, check Claim Reason Number 10 for overpayment. Employer certification is not required.

For Tax Year 2020 Only - Please see additional instructions related to COVID-19 refunds.

No. Stock options are taxable unless they have been specifically exempted by your work and/or resident municipality. For more information, visit the RITA Municipalities page, select the municipality and review the Special Notes section that relates to the appropriate tax year.