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MY ALABAMA TAXES
TAXPAYER’S GUIDE
Alabama Department of Revenue – Revenue Integrated Tax System (RITS)
Version 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW OF MY ALABAMA TAXES (MAT) ................................................................ 3
FILERS WHO USE THE ADOR ONLINE FILING .............................................................. 3
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ............................................................................ 3
NAVIGATING MY ALABAMA TAXES ........................................................................... 4
REGISTERING FOR MY ALABAMA TAXES .................................................................... 4
HOW DOES A TAXPAYER REGISTER ON MAT? ............................................................. 5
LOGGING ON FOR THE FIRST TIME ........................................................................... 9
WHAT IF I FORGET MY PASSWORD? ....................................................................... 10
THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH MAT ......................................................................... 11
MANAGING YOUR PROFILE ................................................................................. 11
MANAGING YOUR TAX ACCOUNTS ......................................................................... 13
FILING RETURNS ............................................................................................ 15
MAKING PAYMENTS ......................................................................................... 21
To link directly to a topic: hover over the Table of Contents section
title and click.
NOTE:
All account numbers, company names, and graphic examples are fictitious. Any
resemblance to an actual company or taxpayer is completely coincidental and was
in no way intentional.
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OVERVIEW OF MY ALABAMA TAXES (MAT)
My Alabama Taxes (MAT) is an additional way to access your tax information.
MAT can be accessed from anywhere via the World Wide Web. Over the next
several months a number of tax types will become available for access through
MAT. The direct URL is: https://MyAlabamaTaxes.alabama.gov. Taxpayers can
also navigate to MAT via the link from the Alabama Department of Revenue’s
(ADOR) internet site: www.revenue.alabama.gov.
All taxpayers who choose to register for MAT will have the ability to manage and
monitor their tax accounts via the internet anytime, anywhere. The following
functions can be performed for all currently supported type tax accounts:
Tax Type Account Change View and Print File or Make a On-Line
Supported Balance Account previous ADOR Amend Payment Messaging
& Information Correspondence Returns
Activity
Aviation Fuels
Gasoline
Excise
Lubricating
Oils Excise
Motor Fuel
Excise
Scrap Tire
Environmental
Fee
Individual
Income
Taxpayers will also have the ability to authorize a 3rd party agent(s) to access MAT
on their behalf, for example, an accountant, attorney, etc. Once appropriate
registration information has been submitted, taxpayers and/or their agent(s) may
view and manage their tax information through the MAT web interface. For more
information on 3rd party and additional logins, view the PDF document on
Managing Logins: https://myalabamataxes.alabama.gov/ManageLogins.pdf.
Online messaging is also available and provides a secure interface for the taxpayer
and/or their agent to submit a message to an ADOR representative. The reply
message can be viewed by logging back into MAT and viewing the message center.
FILERS WHO USE THE ADOR ONLINE FILING
User IDs and passwords used on the Alabama Paperless Filing & Payment System
site will not work with MAT. The taxpayer must register to use MAT.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Users who have questions while using MAT should navigate to the FAQs link
located at the top of every screen.
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NAVIGATING MY ALABAMA TAXES
It is recommended that users do not use the Forward and Back buttons on their
web browser toolbar. The web browser refresh button will log you off of MAT. MAT
uses a number of pop-ups to provide options throughout the interface. Therefore, it
is also recommended to use the Pop-up Blocker Settings to allow pop-ups from the
MAT web site.
Navigation on the MAT site should be done using the on-screen navigation links
described below.
E F
A C D
B
A. Link to the ADOR web site: www.revenue.alabama.com G H I
B. Forward and Back arrow buttons
C. Bread crumb trail – click any one of the words or phrases to return to that
particular window
D. Taxpayer Guide
E. Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
F. MyAlabamaTaxes Contact Page
G. Refresh button
H. Online Help
I. Log Off button
When users log out of MAT they should always close the web
browser to ensure that none of their personal data remains in the
computer’s cache memory.
REGISTERING FOR MY ALABAMA TAXES
Initially, MAT will provide access to the following tax types: Aviation Fuels,
Gasoline Excise, Lubricating Oils Excise, Motor Fuel Excise and Scrap Tire
Environmental Fee. Over the next twelve months most other tax types will
become available. Any taxpayers who have tax accounts available through MAT
are eligible to register for a MAT logon.
Using MAT to access your tax information is an easy two-step process:
1. Register to use MAT – provide initial information and request an
Authorization Code
2. Initial Logon - Authorization Code required
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HOW DOES A TAXPAYER REGISTER ON MAT?
You will need the following information readily available:
Account ID Number: 10 digit account number; located on all correspondence
received from ADOR.
Sign-On ID: required for business accounts. (Assigned at business registration.)
Access Code: required for business accounts. (Assigned at business registration.)
Username: (30 Character string; not case sensitive; spaces are allowed)
Password:
Password must be between 8-16 characters and contain the following:
At least 1 character that is alpha
At least 1 character that is numeric
Valid e-mail address to receive confirmation and Authorization Code messages.
Steps to register for MAT:
1. Navigate to the URL: https://MyAlabamaTaxes.alabama.gov
2. Click on the link: Register Now
3. To begin the registration process click the link:
Click here to enter an Account Type, a Username, and a Password
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Complete the required information and click OK:
- Account Type: Select from the drop down menu
- Username: (30 character maximum)
- Password: Passwords can be 8-16 characters and contain:
♦ At least 1 character that is alpha
♦ At least 1 character that is numeric
Once the first window is completed the information entered will appear on the
registration page and the next link will become available. There are five sections total.
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4. Click the next link: Click here to enter User Contact Information
Complete the required information and click OK:
-Your Name
-Email address: must be valid to receive confirmation of registration
-Contact Phone: (required for business taxes)
-Alternate Phone: (optional)
5. Click the next link: Click here to enter Secret Question
Complete the required information and click OK:
-Secret Question: Select from the drop down menu
-Secret Answer: Provide the answer
6. Click on the fourth link: Click here to enter Third Party Access
Complete the required information and click OK:
-Third Party Access: Option to provide access to a third party
(If option is set to Yes, a password phrase is
required and all password criteria apply.)
7. Click on the final link: Click here to Register an Account
Complete the required information and click OK:
-Account Type: populated from previous screen selection
-Account Number: 10 digit number found on any correspondence
received from ADOR, i.e., GST-0000012345 (3 digit alpha
prefix is optional; do not include dash)
-E-file Sign On ID: 9 digit Sign-On ID assigned when tax account
was first established, i.e., 000012121
-E-file Access Code: 8 digit Access Code assigned when tax account
was first established, i.e., 12345678
-E-file Sign On ID and Access Code are required for business accounts.
For Individual Income Tax accounts the Social Security Number and
zip code on record are required.
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Once all windows are completed, a message will appear at the bottom of the registration
screen that reads:
Registration Complete! Click ‘Submit’ in the upper left to begin using MAT.
Click the Submit button to complete the registration.
Next, you will be shown a confirmation screen. The confirmation screen will provide
the New Registration request confirmation number and the registration information
you entered.
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The MAT Registration request will be processed and you can expect to receive the
Authorization Code within just a few minutes. The Authorization Code is required
for your initial logon and will be sent to the specified e-mail account.
LOGGING ON FOR THE FIRST TIME
Once registration is complete, your Authorization Code will be sent to the
specified e-mail address. The Authorization Code must be used to logon for the
first time. The code is not needed after the first logon although the field will be
present.
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WHAT IF I FORGET MY PASSWORD?
If you forget your MAT password, you can reset your password yourself.
It is important, however, that this process be completed in one sitting. If for some
reason your session times out, you will be unable to logon to MAT. You will need to
call and have the ADOR contact unlock your account (see the Contact link at the top
of each web page).
1. Click the link: Reset My Password on the main Logon screen.
Initially, only the first two items will be displayed in the window.
2. Enter either your Username or your E-mail and click Continue
The window will expand and add the following:
Your specified Secret question;
3. Enter your answer
4. Enter your New Password: (all password rules apply)
5. Repeat Password: (Same as #4)
6. Click the Submit button.
Your new Authorization Code will be sent to the specified e-mail address within minutes.
Password Rules: must be between 8-16 characters
and contain:
At least 1 character that is alpha
At least 1 character that is numeric
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THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH MAT
Once you have received your Authorization Code and entered it to logon for the first
time, you are ready to manage your profile, your tax accounts, view
correspondence, submit returns and payments, and exchange messages with an
ADOR representative.
MANAGING YOUR PROFILE
Any changes that are made to your profile will affect and govern all the accounts
that you specify for access through MAT. Your profile acts as an umbrella to all the
accounts available through MAT. This is called the Taxpayer level.
Each tax account has its own address and contact information that is managed
independently within the Account Summary. Details about account summaries will
be discussed in the ‘Managing Your Tax Accounts’ section of this document.
From the My Accounts window you can request to change the location address and
add a mailing address using the edit and add links respectively.
To make any additional changes to your profile use one of the links from the
I want to… menu described below:
View My Profile – within this menu option you can select from the following:
Taxpayer
Change My Profile – Change Web Profile contact information: Web Name,
Phone 1, Phone 2, Email, and Question/Answer
Change My Password – requires that the old password be entered. This change
will be made immediately and does not require a new Authorization Code.
Cancel My Online Access – turns off access to MAT. To access your tax
information through MAT at a later time you must re-register; a new Logon
name is required.
Manage Logons – add additional logons and change the access existing logons
have to specified accounts. For more information, see the PDF on Managing
Logins: https://myalabamataxes.alabama.gov/ManageLogins.pdf.
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Change 3rd Party Passphrase – create or change a phrase to be used by a 3rd
party as verification that you are authorizing access to your specified accounts
(All Password rules apply to passphrases). For more information, see the PDF on
Managing Logins: https://myalabamataxes.alabama.gov/ManageLogins.pdf.
Add Access for Another Account – specify additional tax accounts to be accessed
through MAT.
Add a Payment Source – store banking information for payments made through MAT.
View My Accounts – returns you to the My Accounts window which displays an
overview of your profile and accounts that can be accessed through MAT.
Add Access to Another Account – where additional tax accounts can be specified for
access through MAT. This is the same window provided from the View My Profile
menu option.
View My Letters – where letters that have been sent to you from ADOR can be
viewed and printed (opens in PDF format).
View Requests – where changes that have been requested and processed can be
reviewed. This window is organized into two sections. Click the tabs to move between
the two lists: requests waiting to be processed or requests that have been processed.
A C
D
B
A. Use a confirmation number to perform a search for a specific request.
B. Click the tab to move between the list of requests shown on the ‘Waiting to be
processed’ tab and the list of requests shown on the ‘Processed’ tab.
C. Click on the icon to display the menu options:
i. Maximize – will enlarge the panel to utilize the entire
screen. To return the window to its usual display size,
click the icon again and select the Restore option.
Maximize/Restore are toggle menu items.
ii. Export to Excel/Html – Opens the file save menu
prompting you to name the file that will be generated.
iii. Filter – will display a bar so that you can begin typing the criteria to filter
the display. In the pictured example, the letters ‘ch’ were typed to find all
requests containing the letters ‘ch’ in the Title. Press ‘Esc’ key to remove
the filter or click the filter option again.
iv. Invert – will take the column headings from across the top of the panel
and place them along the left side and rearrange the data accordingly.
v. Views – currently there is only the Standard view.
D. The links on the right of the ‘Processed’ tab title bar, ‘Last 30 days’, etc., act as a
filter to display only the requests for the timeframe desired.
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Visit Message Center – lists MAT messages that have been sent and received
between you and the Alabama Department of Revenue. All messages are
transmitted securely.
To compose a message,
Click the New Message button.
Complete the required fields and click Send Message button to save and
place the message into the Pending Requests listing.
To throw away the message click Cancel.
To review the message you composed, click the blue link in the Subject column.
To delete a message use the Delete link in the far right column.
When there is a reply message the menu option on My Accounts window will
have an additional phrase, for example, Visit Message Center (1 Unread).
Click the Visit Message Center link to view the Messages list window
Select the message of interest by clicking the blue link listed in the
Subject column.
MANAGING YOUR TAX ACCOUNTS
Listed in the My Accounts panel is each of the tax accounts that have been registered
for use through MAT. To view and manage an account, click the blue Id link of the
account number.
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The account information is organized into five panels. Each panel has a menu icon on the
far right of the title bar. The menu options are the same as those available throughout
MAT and are described on page 11.
Account Summary – provides an overview of account information. Add or
Edit links are available for the location and mailing address specific to the
account being viewed. Changing these addresses only affects this particular
account.
Recent Activity – the default display lists the date the last return was filed
and the date and amount of the last payment. Click the More Activity link to
display all the activity for each tax period available to MAT.
I want to… – this is a menu of available actions
Filing Periods for the Last 12 Months (Plus Future Periods) – listing of all the
available filing periods to MAT based on the filter that has been applied. To
display more periods, select the “Last 24 Months” tab or the “All Available”
tab.
o View Return / View Request – Displays that latest version of the
return or return request. Also, allows you to amend your return(s).
o File Now – provides an interface to enter a return on line for the
account and tax period.
o Pay – provides an interface to make a payment for the account and
tax period.
Filing Periods that require attention – If any filing periods have an
expectation of return or payment activity, this tab will be displayed by
default.
Returns filed or amended through MAT are subject to all standard
ADOR policies and procedures of review and compliance.
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FILING RETURNS
When you are ready to file a return through the MAT web site, locate and open
the account for which you want to file or amend a return and click the
appropriate File Now link that corresponds to the correct filing period.
A new window displaying a return form for the appropriate tax type will open. Key
the return data as appropriate and click Submit for the return to be processed.
The following Motor Fuels taxes provide an option to import the return data:
Aviation Fuels, Gasoline Excise, Lubricating Oils Excise, and Motor Fuel Excise. You
must use the ADOR provided template (Excel file). (See detailed Import link
instructions in a later section, Steps to file a return – using the Import
function)
Return window description:
The return window, regardless of tax type, has three buttons along the top title bar:
Submit – saves return data and creates a return processing request. As
part of submitting a return for processing you will be asked to re-enter
your MAT password as your electronic signature indicating that all
information submitted is true and accurate.
Finish Later – saves the data keyed into the return form for completion
at a later time. When this option is used you will see a Pending Request
and a Return Status of Stored for the tax period you are working on.
Cancel – discards any data that had been entered into the return form.
The top panel contains information and a link.
In large bold print is the tax period for which the return is being filed
along with the name of the tax type, i.e.,
31-Aug-2010 Add Motor Fuels Tax Return.
Import link provides the ability to upload the ADOR provided template for
the given tax type. (See detailed Import link instructions in a later
section, Steps to file a return – using the Import function)
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The main body of the return panel contains the return detail. The Scrap Tire
Environmental Fee return consists of only one page. All other tax types are
organized into two sections:
Along the top is a list of tabs that represent pages and/or schedules for
the given return. Click on the tab with the schedule name and the page
will be displayed below.
In the main panel section you can enter your return data into the fields of
the page or schedule as appropriate. Click either Submit or Finish Later
to save your work.
Steps to file a return – keying in return data:
1. Click the File Now link from either panel
2. Select the page or schedule to enter your return data.
(Scrap Tire Environmental Fee has a one page return.)
Only the fields that are green will allow data entry. All fields that are white
are being populated by a calculation from other fields or schedules.
Each schedule has a Delete and Copy menu available. When you have a
number of rows of data you can use Copy and then edit only the fields that
are different to save time with data entry. Also, if a row of data were
entered in error you can select Delete to remove that row.
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3. Click on page Main once all detail data has been entered to review the Main
page of the return.
a. Make any necessary changes by moving between the schedules and
the Main page.
The tab of the schedule or page name will be displayed as a red
exclamation point if there is an error on that schedule. A green check
mark means the schedule or page has no errors.
b. Click the Finish Later button any time throughout the process to
save your work. The return will be stored for completion later. A
pending request will be created and listed.
c. Click the View Request link to reopen and complete the return.
4. Once the return has been completed use the Submit button.
a. Submit assumes you have completed the return. The return data is
saved and a processing request is submitted. You will be asked to re-
enter your password as your electronic signature that the information
contained in the return is true and correct.
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5. A confirmation message will be presented with the confirmation number for
the return submission.
There are four options available:
Proceed to Payment – see detailed instructions in the Making
Payments section later in this document.
No thanks, I’ll Pay Later – returns you to the tax account for
which you were filing the return.
Print Return – provides PDF interface to print the return you
just submitted.
Print this Confirmation – will print the window that is
displayed.
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Steps to file a return – using the Import function:
1. Prepare your ADOR provided MS Excel template file. Templates are located
at the following locations:
a. Motor Fuels -
http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/motorfuels/fueltemplates.htm
2. Locate the desired account and tax period in MAT.
3. Click the File Now link for the appropriate tax period.
A new window displaying MS Windows file find will open.
4. Navigate to the location where your return data template/Excel file is
located. Select the file and click Open.
5. You will then be in the open return window. Review the return data as
appropriate and click Submit.
a. Submit assumes you have completed the return. The return data is
saved and a processing request is submitted. You will be asked to re-
enter your password as your electronic signature that the information
contained in the return is true and correct.
6. A confirmation message will be presented with the confirmation number for
the return submission.
There are four options available:
a. Proceed to Payment – see detailed instructions in the Making
Payments section later in this document.
b. No thanks, I’ll Pay Later – returns you to the tax account for
which you were filing the return.
c. Print Return – provides PDF interface to print the return you just
submitted.
d. Print this Confirmation – will print the window that is displayed.
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MAKING PAYMENTS
All of the tax types will accept payments through MAT. (See the currently
supported tax types at the beginning of this document.) As a convenience, you are
able to set up payment sources so that each time you want to make a payment you
do not have to enter your banking information. This option is located within the
View My Profile menu; Add a Payment Source.
1. Enter your banking information:
Bank Account Type: Select either Checking or Savings
Nickname: Accepts multi-word alpha and numeric characters
Bank Routing Number: verifies validity when you click Save
Bank Account Number: must be at least 8 characters
Confirm Account Number: must match Bank Account Number field
Once all your information has been entered, click Save.
The payment source will be listed in the Payment Sources panel within the
Profile window. Click the blue link Source Name to edit or delete as needed.
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When you are ready to make a payment through MAT, locate the tax account
and click the Pay link corresponding to the tax period for which you want to
submit the payment.
Steps to make a payment:
1. Decide which link to select:
a. Click the Pay link in the row of the tax period for which the
payment will apply.
2. Complete the Schedule a Payment window as appropriate.
There are several options to be aware of:
My Bank Account information
Using the Bank Account Type drop down menu, select a payment
source that was previously set up through your profile.
You may also use the Manually enter bank information link to
enter a completely different payment source. This payment
source will not be stored as a payment source option for future
use.
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Payment Date
Enter the date you want the payment to be processed.
This can be the date you are completing the information for
submission. It can also be a future date, i.e., the payment due
date for the tax type you are paying. The request will be
acknowledged the next day; however, the payment request will
remain in the category of Requests waiting to be processed until
the future processing date that was provided.
3. Enter the amount you want to pay
4. Enter your password as your electronic signature
5. Click Submit and confirm by clicking the Yes button on the next window.
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