Tennessee Department of Revenue

REVENUE LAUNCHES CREDIT-CARD PAYMENT OPTION STARTING
WITH PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE TAX

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Department of Revenue now accepts credit cards for payment of the professional privilege tax. Professional privilege is the first tax type that customers can pay via credit card to the Department of Revenue through its Web site, www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. The department is working to add this convenient payment option to other online tax filing applications.

“Offering credit card payment is yet another way the Department of Revenue is making significant strides toward becoming a ‘digital department' to serve our customers more efficiently,” said Revenue Commissioner Loren L. Chumley. “We are excited to add the credit card payment option for professional privilege taxpayers and look forward to providing this feature to more taxpayers.”

The department accepts the following credit cards: MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card. There is an associated 2.49 percent processing fee.

For members of the 22 professional groups required to file this tax annually, filing takes less than five minutes by using the Tennessee Department of Revenue's online application.

Filers may submit their personal information, select their profession, make a payment and receive confirmation of their filing with a few clicks of the mouse using the Department of Revenue's online tax filing service at www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. Not only is the filing service faster and easier for filers, it also provides efficiencies to the Department of Revenue with quicker processing time and a higher rate of data accuracy.

Electronic filing of the sales and use tax, consumer use tax, individual income tax, professional privilege tax, and franchise and excise tax minimum and estimated payment returns and extensions is available via the department's Web site, www.Tennessee.gov/revenue. Bill payments and many business tax registration activities also can be completed online.

The Department of Revenue provides computer access to customers who don't have such technology, so they can file their taxes online at its offices in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Jackson, Johnson City, Memphis and Nashville.

The department offers an electronic commerce hot line to assist taxpayers and tax practitioners who use the department's ever-expanding suite of electronic tax filing options. The statewide toll-free phone number is (866) 368-6374. Nashville-area and out-of-state callers should dial (615) 253-0704.

All taxpayer data, whether paper or electronic, filed with the Department of Revenue is confidential data protected under Tennessee law.

The Department of Revenue collects approximately 92 percent of total state tax revenue. During the 2004-2005 fiscal year, the department collected $9.6 billion in state taxes and fees. In addition to collecting state taxes, $1.7 billion of local sales tax was collected by the department for local governments during the 2004-2005 fiscal year. Besides collecting taxes, the department enforces the revenue laws fairly and impartially in an effort to encourage voluntary taxpayer compliance. The department also apportions revenue collections for distribution to the various state funds and local units of government. To learn more about the department, log on to www.Tennessee.gov/revenue.