Everyone knows a last-minute filer.
They know April 15 is coming, but still they procrastinate filling out their personal income tax returns. Either they're trying to delay forking over that big check to the government, or they're scrambling through old papers trying to find their W-2 form.
So they'll be left trying to beat the clock Friday night, speeding to Syracuse to get their returns postmarked minutes before the clock strikes midnight.
"Either they don't have any money coming back or they're not sure of their tax status," said John Vitale, tax consultant at Vitale Income Tax Service in Auburn.
"Or they're just procrastinators. There's a deadline, and now they have to meet it."
The IRS anticipated receiving about a third of the expected 133 million tax returns in the two weeks leading up to the April 15 deadline. As of March 1, it had received more than 80 million individual tax returns.
For those chronic last-minute income-tax filers, there's still hope. State and federal tax help hot lines will have extra hours leading up to Friday. At least one local tax service will hold extra hours to accommodate those who have held off this long.
Vitale expects between 300 and 400 clients to come through his door looking for help in the days before the filing deadline.
Last-minute filers don't necessarily have to get everything done by Friday.
Taxpayers who waited this long can file for a 4-month extension, which can be as easy as filling out a Form 4868.
But if the filer expects to owe money, they have to send an estimated payment based on previous years' returns.
Those who don't send in the payment could be charged interest and penalties.
"It doesn't stop any payment due at the time of the extension," Vitale said.
The IRS plans on receiving about 9 million requests nationally for extensions, with New Yorkers making up about 500,000 of those.
Extensions weren't as popular with Colleen Fitts' clients at Scavone's Tax Service in Moravia until last year. Many of her clients who look for extensions are small-business owners who have to juggle running the business and filling out more complicated returns.
Fitts is a reformed last-minute filer. A few years ago, she needed the refund to pay some bills, so she bit the bullet and filed early. Many of her clients are the same way, filing early to put their refund toward property taxes.
But those who owe are more reluctant to change their procrastinating ways, Fitts said. "They would rather keep their money and play with it rather than give it to the government."
Like other tax preparers, Fitts is entering crunch time. Her office helped about 200 clients in the past week. They've come to deal with the last-minute filers, but wishes they would space out their urgency before the 11th hour.
"Just think about your tax preparer when you call to make an appointment at noon on the 15th," Fitts said.
If last-minute filers don't want to resort to asking for an extension, there are some steps they can take to make the process a little less painful, said Bill Balyszak, owner of Taxsavers Income Tax Services in Auburn.
Past returns can serve as a checklist of what deductions were made to help ensure they aren't missed this year.
"If you've done your taxes in the past and not much has changed, then you've got it all there," he said.
And for those who are lucky enough to get an appointment with a tax preparer before Friday, Balyszak suggests bringing information from all major purchases and anything else that could be used for a deduction. With changes in the tax code happening every year, a tax preparer could help uncover some unexpected deductions, he said.
"If you're not sure, bring it anyway," he said. "Who knows? Maybe there's a golden nugget hidden in there."
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267
or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
So they'll be left trying to beat the clock Friday night, speeding to Syracuse to get their returns postmarked minutes before the clock strikes midnight.
"Either they don't have any money coming back or they're not sure of their tax status," said John Vitale, tax consultant at Vitale Income Tax Service in Auburn.
"Or they're just procrastinators. There's a deadline, and now they have to meet it."
The IRS anticipated receiving about a third of the expected 133 million tax returns in the two weeks leading up to the April 15 deadline. As of March 1, it had received more than 80 million individual tax returns.
For those chronic last-minute income-tax filers, there's still hope. State and federal tax help hot lines will have extra hours leading up to Friday. At least one local tax service will hold extra hours to accommodate those who have held off this long.
Vitale expects between 300 and 400 clients to come through his door looking for help in the days before the filing deadline.
Last-minute filers don't necessarily have to get everything done by Friday.
Taxpayers who waited this long can file for a 4-month extension, which can be as easy as filling out a Form 4868.
But if the filer expects to owe money, they have to send an estimated payment based on previous years' returns.
Those who don't send in the payment could be charged interest and penalties.
"It doesn't stop any payment due at the time of the extension," Vitale said.
The IRS plans on receiving about 9 million requests nationally for extensions, with New Yorkers making up about 500,000 of those.
Extensions weren't as popular with Colleen Fitts' clients at Scavone's Tax Service in Moravia until last year. Many of her clients who look for extensions are small-business owners who have to juggle running the business and filling out more complicated returns.
Fitts is a reformed last-minute filer. A few years ago, she needed the refund to pay some bills, so she bit the bullet and filed early. Many of her clients are the same way, filing early to put their refund toward property taxes.
But those who owe are more reluctant to change their procrastinating ways, Fitts said. "They would rather keep their money and play with it rather than give it to the government."
Like other tax preparers, Fitts is entering crunch time. Her office helped about 200 clients in the past week. They've come to deal with the last-minute filers, but wishes they would space out their urgency before the 11th hour.
"Just think about your tax preparer when you call to make an appointment at noon on the 15th," Fitts said.
If last-minute filers don't want to resort to asking for an extension, there are some steps they can take to make the process a little less painful, said Bill Balyszak, owner of Taxsavers Income Tax Services in Auburn.
Past returns can serve as a checklist of what deductions were made to help ensure they aren't missed this year.
"If you've done your taxes in the past and not much has changed, then you've got it all there," he said.
And for those who are lucky enough to get an appointment with a tax preparer before Friday, Balyszak suggests bringing information from all major purchases and anything else that could be used for a deduction. With changes in the tax code happening every year, a tax preparer could help uncover some unexpected deductions, he said.
"If you're not sure, bring it anyway," he said. "Who knows? Maybe there's a golden nugget hidden in there."
Staff writer Liz Hacken can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 267
or elizabeth.hacken@lee.net
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