City of Columbus

Income Tax FAQs

ACH Credit Transactions

• Is there a guide on ACH/EFT transactions?
  Click here to view the ACH/EFT transactions guide.
• Can I choose between different types of ACH EFT payments?
  Yes. You can choose either the ACH Debit or ACH Credit payment methods.
• Can I make one ACH Credit payment for more than one city?
  Yes. You can make one ACH payment for all the cities administered by the City. Please note, that the City of Columbus only administers taxes for the City of Columbus, Madison Township JEDD, North Pickaway County JEDD, and Prairie Township JEDD; all other payments will need to be directed to the appropriate cities/suburbs. 
• Can the City debit my account without my knowledge or permission?
  No. The ACH Debit method can only be initiated through our Columbus Revenue Information Service Portal (CRISP) using your email address and password set up by you.  If you use the ACH Credit method, your payments are initiated by you through your financial institution.
• Is EFT required or voluntary?
  Currently, EFT is a voluntary method of remitting income tax. Certain taxpayers may be mandated in the foreseeable future, but we encourage everyone to participate. There is no minimum threshold for paying by EFT.
• What Constitutes Timely EFT Payment?
  The effective date of the payment must be on or before the tax due date. Originate the transaction in sufficient time for the payment to arrive on or before the due date of the return or payment.
• What if I have a Payroll Service Provider, can I utilize the EFT payment program?
  It will depend upon the Payroll Service Provider. Their most common form of EFT payment is ACH Credit. Currently, we do not mandate that Payroll Service Providers pay by EFT. If your Payroll Service Provider offers this service, an established city income tax account, and a Taxpayer Account ID are required. This Taxpayer Account ID is to be included in the Payroll Service Provider’s ACH credit transmission.
• What is a Taxpayer Account ID?
  A Taxpayer Account ID is assigned upon completion of the registration process. This Taxpayer Account ID, consisting of three alpha and eight numeric characters, is unique for each tax account and is sent in element TXP02 of the Tax Payment detail segment of the addenda record. It is imperative that the Taxpayer Account ID be included in the tax payment details to provide proper crediting of funds and taxpayer identification.
• What is Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)?
  EFT is an electronic method for instructing financial institutions to debit or credit customer accounts and thereby affect a transfer of funds from one account to another. EFT methods for moving funds are faster and more secure than paper checks.
• What is the most common EFT payment method?
  The ACH Debit method is the most common method used. The Columbus Income Tax Division recommends the ACH Debit method because of its simplicity and cost savings to the taxpayer
• What methods of EFT does the City accept?

  ACH (Automated Clearing House) Debit – The ACH debit method allows you to transfer funds by authorizing us to electronically debit (electronically withdraw funds from) your bank account for the amount you report using our Columbus Revenue Information Service Portal (CRISP) system. Your account will be debited ONLY upon your initiation, ONLY for the amount you specify, and ONLY on the date you specify. To ensure a successful transaction, check with your banking partner to determine if you have a debit blocker in place.

  ACH Credit – ACH Credit is a banking term that applies to the electronic transfer of funds in which you, the customer, initiate the transaction by instructing your bank to transfer funds from your bank account to the City. Your banking institution may require you to install software on your computer to create a file that the bank can use to process the ACH-Credit transaction. There may be fees charged to you by your banking institution for costs associated with processing each ACH-Credit transaction.

   

• What steps are necessary to become an EFT taxpayer?

  All taxpayers are eligible to be EFT taxpayers. To use the ACH Debit method, you may go to our Columbus Revenue Information Service Portal (CRISP) and either log in to your existing account using your email address and password or make a non-logged-in payment by clicking on “Make a Payment” on the home page. 

  For the ACH Credit method, you will have to work with your financial institution before initiating these transactions. The Electronic Funds Transfer Guide, found on our website, will provide the information and format needed by your financial institution, so they may initiate ACH credit transactions on your behalf.

• Where do I report my ACH payments on my city return?
  When filing returns via the Columbus Revenue Information Service Portal (CRISP), your ACH payments should appear on your return automatically.  Please be advised, that typically there is four day turnaround time for your ACH payment to appear in CRISP and on your return. If you are filing a paper city tax return, you will claim EFT payments as prior payments on a withholding return (IT-11) or as estimated payments on Line 2 of the business return (BR-25) or individual return (IR-25). If, after completing the paper return form, additional tax due is shown, payment may be made by a separate EFT submission or by a manual check. If a manual check is issued for payment of tax due, please include your Taxpayer Account ID and the period(s) applicable.