Press Release

Press Release  April Revenue Collections Total $3.865 Billion

Monthly collections up $1.885 billion or 95.1% vs. April 2020 actual; $385 million above benchmark
For immediate release:
5/05/2021
  • Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Media Contact   for April Revenue Collections Total $3.865 Billion

Naysa Woomer

(Boston, MA) — Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder today announced that preliminary revenue collections for April totaled $3.865 billion, which is $1.885 billion or 95.1% more than the actual collections in April 2020, and $385 million or 11.1% more than benchmark.1

FY2021 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $26.449 billion, which is $3.405 billion or 14.8% more than collections in the same period of FY2020, and $1.830 billion or 7.4% more than benchmark.

“April revenue included increases in most major categories relative to benchmarks and collections in the same period of FY2020,” said Commissioner Snyder. “However, historical comparisons should be viewed with caution due to the pandemic-induced recession, the late start to the 2021 tax filing season, and responsive measures enacted in 2020 and 2021 designed to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.”

Examples of COVID-19 response measures include, but are not limited to:

  • The extension of last year’s income tax filing and payment deadline from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020.
  • The extension of the April 15, 2020 income tax estimated payment installment to July 15, 2020.
  • Penalty waivers for certain corporate excise returns and payments due in 2020.
  • The extension of this year’s income tax filing and payment deadline from April 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021.
  • The extension of the payment deadline for certain regular sales tax, meals tax and room occupancy excise payments.

Details:

Preliminary April Revenue Collections

  • Income tax collections for April were $2.181 billion, $114 million or 5.0% below benchmark, but $1.057 billion or 94.1% more than April 2020. Due to extensions of filing and payment deadlines in both this year and last year, income tax collections in April 2021 and April 2020 are not comparable.
  • Withholding tax collections for April totaled $1.237 billion, $219 million or 21.5% above benchmark, and $183 million or 17.4% more than April 2020.
  • Income tax estimated payments totaled $481 million for April, $308 million or 177.7% more than benchmark, and $414 million or 618.5% more than April 2020. Given the extension of last year’s first estimated payment installment to July 15, 2020, estimated payments in April 2021 and those in April 2020 are not comparable.
  • Income tax returns and bills totaled $788 million for April, $790 million or 50.0% less than benchmark, but $595 million or 308.2% more than April 2020. Due to extensions of filing and payment deadlines in both this year and last year, income tax returns and bills payments in April 2021 and those in April 2020 are not comparable.
  • Income tax cash refunds in April totaled $326 million in outflows, $149 million or 31.4% less than benchmark, but $135 million or 71.2% more than April 2020. Due to the late start of this year’s tax filing season and recent tax law changes, including the extension of the income tax filing deadline from April 15 to May 17, income tax cash refunds in April 2021 and those in April 2020 are not comparable.
  • Sales and use tax collections for April totaled $935 million, $164 million or 21.2% above benchmark, and $468 million or 100.4% more than April 2020. A law requiring the early remittance of certain sales, meals and room occupancy tax collections became effective this month, and partially contributed to the increase in collections.
  • Corporate and business tax collections for the month totaled $543 billion, $249 million or 84.7% above benchmark, and $330 million or 154.8% more than April 2020.
  • Other tax collections for April totaled $206 million, $86 million or 71.5% above benchmark, and $29 million or 16.2% more than April 2020.

April 2021 Tax Collections Summary (in $ millions) Preliminary as of May 05, 2021

1 The original benchmark for fiscal year 2021 was $28.390 billion. On January 15, 2021, as part of the fiscal year 2022 Consensus Revenue process, the fiscal year 2021 benchmark was adjusted to $29.090 billion. The adjustment is reflected in DOR’s revenue releases beginning in January 2021.

 

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Media Contact   for April Revenue Collections Total $3.865 Billion

  • Massachusetts Department of Revenue  

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