Montana Department of Revenue

Retail Alcohol License Bidding Updates

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News and Updates

Retail Alcohol License Bidding Updates

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The following competitive bidding opportunities closed at midnight on September 20, 2018:

  • Belgrade Beer License
  • Bozeman All-Beverage Floater License
  • Three Forks All-Beverage Floater License

We are reviewing the results but cannot release the identity of bidders, the number of bids, or the bid amounts until the highest bidder has been approved.

We have also canceled the following competitive bidding opportunities:

  • Bozeman Beer License
  • Three Forks Beer License
  • Townsend All-Beverage Floater License

We will reevaluate the market value of these licenses and offer them in a future competitive bidding opportunity.

Department of Revenue Adds Two New Members to Leadership Team

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Department of Revenue Director, Gene Walborn, has announced two major additions to the department’s leadership team:

Shauna Helfert

Shauna Helfert
Deputy Director

Shauna Helfert began as Deputy Director of the Montana Department of Revenue in early August. Helfert has been with the department for 24 years, serving most recently as the administrator of the Property Assessment Division. Previously, she was administrator of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division for 12 years and served in various other roles within the department.

Helfert has earned two Governor’s Awards and is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Montana. She has a bachelors’ degree in Accounting from Montana State University.

Manuel Soto

Manuel Soto

Manuel Soto
Chief Information Officer

Manuel Soto is the new Chief Information Officer at the Montana Department of Revenue. Soto has more than 28 years in information technology, including 20 years in government. He has a law degree from the Cal Northern School of Law in Chico, Calif., plus degrees in Computer Science and Management Development.

Soto will manage the office responsible for technology support across the department and for improving IT services for the public.

Please join us in welcoming them to their new roles.

Department of Revenue Urges Montanans to Check for Unclaimed Cash and Property

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Thousands of Montanans have assets waiting in trust.

HELENA – Every year in Montana, millions of dollars and other personal assets go unclaimed. And every year, the Montana Department of Revenue encourages individuals and businesses to check whether some of that might be theirs.

The unclaimed property can come from a variety of sources such as forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks and money orders, insurance policy payments and unused gift certificates, as well as stocks, bonds and the contents from safe deposit boxes. By law, the Montana Department of Revenue holds unclaimed property in trust indefinitely for owners to claim.

Montanans can check their local newspapers over the next few months for ads and inserts from the department listing the owners of property that’s been reported as unclaimed during the last year.

Anyone can also check online for property that may be theirs, regardless of how long ago it was originally reported as unclaimed. Go to tap.dor.mt.gov and click on the “Search for Unclaimed Cash” link to look up names. Follow the on-screen instructions to create and submit a claim.

“This unclaimed property belongs to thousands of individuals across Montana and the country, and the department is committed to returning these assets to their rightful owners,” said Gene Walborn, director of the Montana Department of Revenue. “All Montanans should check their local paper or go online and look for their names, as well as those of their loved ones and recently deceased family members. You never know what you’ll find.”

The department reminds Montanans that while some businesses may offer to help people find their property – for a fee – those commercial services are not necessary. Montanans and others do not have to pay to reclaim their own property, and can submit their claim online in just a few minutes.

For help with a claim or for more information, visit tap.dor.mt.gov, call the department at (406) 444-6900 or email UnclaimedProperty@mt.gov.

Tax Year 2018 Updates to Exemption for Dependent Child with Disability

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The exemption for a dependent child with disability is twice the amount of the personal exemption. In 2018 this exemption is $4,880 (2 x $2,440). To be eligible, the taxpayer must provide written documentation by a licensed physician showing that the child has a permanent disability constituting not less than 50% disability to the body as a whole.

Starting with the 2018 tax year, the taxpayer must submit the required medical documentation with their tax return when claiming the exemption for a child with a disability for the first time. In the past, taxpayers only needed to keep the documentation with their tax records.

Taxpayers who began claiming this exemption continuously prior to tax year 2018 are not required to provide this documentation with the 2018 return.

If a taxpayer stops claiming this exemption for a year or more, the initial written documentation from the certified physician becomes invalid. In order to claim the dependent child with a disability exemption again, a new certification must be provided.