How remit Arizona fiduciary tax through EFT for paper-filed return?

[SLOCalCPA]

I am filing an Arizona fiduciary return (Form 141AZ) which is required by AZ to be paper-filed, rather than e-filed.  The trust owes AZ taxes which much be remitted through EFT. 

Is there a way for the tax to be remitted electronically through Lacerte even if the return itself is not e-filed? 

[sjrcpa · Accepted solution]

No.

Hopefully AZ has a place on its website to pay.

[SLOCalCPA]

Thanks!

[BobKamman]

Some traditional banks have these things called "checks" that can be attached to returns, if you are near a traditional office-supply store that sells what are called "paper clips."

Arizona has been known to take a month or six weeks to cash checks.  Some think it is because the legislature wants to keep hidden the size of the state surplus, so they don't have to add it to the budget.  Others attribute it to the general incompetence of the Department of Revenue.  With money-market funds paying 4% or more these days, it may be breach of fiduciary duty to forego that income.  Also, don't count on the state being able to match up payments received one way with returns received another way.  

[RPusch]

SLOCalCPA -- were you able to figure out what to do? I am in the same position.  I was directed to the Aztaxes.gov website, but there doesn't seem to be anything that applies to Trusts or 141AZ payments.   I wasn't able to link the existing (5 years old) Trust to my account.  

I did find in the 141AZ instructions something that seems to indicate there isn't a way for Trusts to pay via AzTaxes.gov for the 2022 tax year, but still continues to state the payments must be made electronically.  

[SLOCalCPA]

Hi RPusch - my client originally told me that they were successful in paying the Trust taxes through the AZ website, but I checked with them this morning now find that they were not able to do so.  They instead paid by check (which they weren't supposed to do).

My understanding is that the other option is to remit the taxes using direct debit through tax prep software. I assume that this can be done through Lacerte, but I haven't confirmed.  Please let me know if you find out anything more.

[BobKamman]

The Arizona Department of Revenue is to the Franchise Tax Board as the Russian army is to NATO.  They will be happy to take your money however you want to pay it.  You could probably ship them dimes using FedEx.