Hawaii upgrades online tax filing system with new security, UX features
Officials with the Hawaii Department of Taxation on Wednesday announced that the state’s online tax filing and management system was upgraded with new features that will enhance the performance, security and user experience of the system.
The system’s online component launched in 2019, allowing taxpayers to file returns, pay their taxes and manage business tax accounts through the Hawaii Tax Online portal. The system’s new features were added during a yearlong process that was recently completed, officials said.
The new features include a modernized codebase for easier system maintenance, and advanced security features that focus on data privacy with encryption and identity verification to protect state taxpayers’ personal and financial information. Other upgrades include new workflow enhancements and a redesigned user interface, according to the announcement.
The state’s announcement claims that in fiscal year 2024, the system processed more than 2.7 million electronic returns, or 89% of all state returns. It also processed more than 2.3 million electronic payments in 2024, or 81% of all the state’s payments
The upgrades contrast with the condition of the state’s tax system just seven years ago. In 2017, Hawaii’s then-director of taxation Maria Zielinski abruptly resigned amid a $60 million tax system modernization project that one official called “a disaster.”
