MinnesotaMinnesota will offer free online state income tax filing
Minnesota’s Revenue Department must offer taxpayers a free online way to file individual state returns, with access to several common credits.
What it does
Minnesota taxpayers can file individual state income tax returns online for free through a system on the Revenue Department website.
People or organizations convicted of public program fraud owe a tax equal to the money the court says they obtained through the fraud.
Taxpayers can claim a Minnesota credit for eligible care costs, with limits based on the number of people cared for and the taxpayer’s income.
Argument forTaxpayers could file state returns online for free, and a vendor building the system could not also sell paid Minnesota tax preparation while it is active.
Argument againstPeople convicted of public program fraud could owe the full amount obtained, even if they already paid restitution or another penalty.
More detail
The revenue commissioner must provide a free electronic system for filing individual Minnesota income tax returns. Individual taxpayers may use the system to file Minnesota income tax returns. The system must be available on the Revenue Department website, with no income limit for access. The commissioner may hire a software vendor, but that vendor cannot offer paid Minnesota individual tax preparation for tax years when the system is active. The commissioner must coordinate with federal free filing systems when feasible. The system must be available for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.
The law imposes a tax equal to the program fraud amount on a person or organization convicted of public program fraud. The rule covers a person or organization convicted in state or federal court of fraud involving a public program. The tax applies regardless of restitution, other taxes, or penalties imposed or paid. If multiple people or organizations are convicted of the same fraud, they share responsibility for the amount. The tax applies to fraud convictions made after December 31, 2025.
The law allows a taxpayer to claim a credit for eligible dependent care expenses. Taxpayers may claim eligible work-related care expenses for qualifying people, as defined by federal law with a Minnesota rule for certain family assistance payments. Eligible expenses are capped at $3,000 for one qualifying person or $6,000 for two or more, and those limits are reduced by certain employer-provided care payments excluded from income. The credit starts at 35 percent and drops as adjusted gross income rises, to a minimum of 20 percent. It is also reduced by five percent of income above $65,610, an amount adjusted for inflation. Any credit above the taxpayer’s state tax bill is refunded. These credit rules apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Secretary of State Chapter 128 05/27/26Latest
- May 27Governor Tim Walz's action Approval 05/27/26Major
- May 27Secretary of State, Filed 05/27/2026
- May 27Governor Tim Walz approval 05/27/2026Became Law
- May 20Presentment date 05/20/26
- May 20Presented to Governor 05/20/2026To Governor
- May 17Third Reading Repassed
- Vote recorded Repassage, as amended by Conference. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Third Reading Repassed. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Senate adopted CC report and repassed bill. Result: pass.Upper
- May 17Senate adopted CC report and repassed bill
- May 17Conference committee report, delete everything
- May 17House adopted HCC report and repassed bill
- May 17Author added Davids be added as Chief Author
- May 17Bill was repassed as amended by Conference
- May 17Motion prevailed
- May 17Motion to take from table
- May 17Motion prevailed
- May 17Motion to lay on the table
- May 17Third reading as amended by ConferenceMinor
- May 17House adopted conference committee report
- May 17Conference committee report, delete everything
- May 16Senate conferees Rest; Dibble; Hemmingsen-Jaeger; Hauschild; Weber
- May 16Senate accedes, CC of 5 be appointed
- May 16House conferees Davids; Joy; Gomez; Agbaje
- May 16Bill returned to conference committee
- May 16Taken from table in House
- May 16Senate conferees Rest, Dibble, Hemmingsen-Jaeger, Hauschild, and Weber
- May 16Senate accedes, conference committee of 4 be appointed
- May 16House conferees Davids, Joy, Gomez, and Agbaje
- May 16House refuses to concur, conference committee of 4 requested
- May 16Motion prevailed
- May 16Motion to take from table
- 2025
- May 6Senate conferees Dibble; Johnson Stewart; Jasinski; Carlson; Clark
- May 6Senate accedes, CC of 5 be appointed
- May 6House conferees Koznick; Olson; Koegel; Tabke
- May 6House not concur, conference committee requested
- May 6Senate conferees Dibble; Johnson Stewart; Jasinski; Carlson; Clark
- May 6Senate accedes, conference committee of 5 be appointed
- May 5House conferees Koznick, Olson, Koegel, Tabke
- May 5House refuses to concur, conference committee of 4 requested
- May 5Returned from Senate with amendment
- May 1Third reading Passed as amendedPassed 2nd Chamber
- Vote recorded Third reading Passed as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 1Special Order: Amended
- Apr 30Second readingMinor
- Apr 30Comm report: Rule 45-amend, subst. General Orders SF2082
- Apr 29Referred to Rules and Administration for comparison with SF2082, now on General OrdersMinor
- Apr 29Introduction and first readingMinor
- Apr 29Received from HouseMinor
- Apr 28Bill was passed as amendedPassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Amendment. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Amendment. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Amendment. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Amendment. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Passage, as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Amendment. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 28Third reading as amendedMinor
- Apr 28AmendedMajor
- Apr 25Author added Gander
- Apr 25House rule 1.21, placed on Calendar for the Day Monday, April 28, 2025
- Apr 24Second readingMinor
- Apr 24Committee report, to adopt as amendedMinor
- Apr 22Committee report, to adopt and re-refer to Ways and MeansMinor
- Apr 21Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to TaxesMinor
- Mar 17Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and PolicyIntroduced
Taxes & BudgetGovernment & Ethics