According to Ben Franklin, there are only two certainties in life. Today, all Americans are realizing one of them.
The Associated Press
Even the president and first lady have to file their taxes, President and Laura Bush's tax form is shown above. The rest of us have until midnight tonight to get their forms in the mail.
Even the president and first lady have to file their taxes, President and Laura Bush's tax form is shown above. The rest of us have until midnight tonight to get their forms in the mail.
This is the last date to file income taxes with the Internal Revenue Service.
Despite an economic stimulus check that comes sooner when people file their returns earlier, millions of Americans have waited until the last minute.
But there is no need for the procrastinators to panic. Some regional post offices will have extended hours for the last minute filers, and extensions are accepted both by mail and on-line.
Auburn resident Mike Diehl is one of the millions who will file their income taxes today, which many refer to as Tax Day. Diehl said Monday that he still needed to meet with an accountant, though he had an appointment.
“It is easier when someone else does it for you,” Diehl said.
According to the U.S. Postal Service, three post offices in Syracuse will offer services after normal business hours. However, the Auburn Post Office on Genesee Street will keep its normal business hours.
Lance Jones, a supervisor at the Auburn office, said the mail volume always picks up the week of the tax deadline. However, post office officials are not expecting quite the same-sized rush that usually comes on April 15, Jones said.
“I'm guessing that with the stimulus package stuff going on, it is not going to be as bad as in the past,” he said.
Typically, the post office sells three times as many certified mail parcels on Tax Day than any other day, according to Maureen Marion, spokeswoman for the postal service. And while it is hard to isolate which mail is tax-related, Marion said more people have filed early, online or both this year.
“We did see also a large number of folks who came out early, and electronic filing is growing in popularity,” Marion said.
Out of the 136 million tax forms the government estimates will be filed, 80 to 82 million are expected to be filed electronically, she added.
According to the IRS, electronic filings are up almost 10 percent, and 7.5 percent of filers received refunds by direct deposit as of April 4.
For those who just can't file by today, the IRS gives taxpayers an extra six months if they file an extension.
However, the extension only gives you extra time to get your paperwork in. Taxpayers who do not pay by today will be charged late fees and interest, according to the IRS.
The extension form, Form 4868, can be downloaded from www.irs.gov. Extensions can also be filed online through companies linked from the IRS Web site.
Jones said that the office usually has tax forms on location, but they are always out of stock this close to the deadline.
“They're out of luck,” Jones said of anyone who will show up today looking for an extension form.
Auburn resident Edward Jones won't be worrying about such things, though he admitted Monday that he isn't exactly an early filer.
“I just dropped it off right now,” he said, while standing in front of the post office.
Every year, it is a tradition to file his taxes the day before deadline, he said. He also always does them himself, though he added that he would like to see a more efficient, less complicated system for collecting taxes.
“There are some politicians who want to do away with the IRS completely, and I agree with that,” Edward Jones said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
Filing your taxes or extensions by mail today?
Here are a few things to remember:
• Make sure you have proper postage, especially if you have extra paperwork. The IRS does not accept tax documents with insufficient postage.
• Do not use an office postage meter. The IRS does not accept private postmarks as proof of timely filing.
• If you are depositing your tax return today in a public post office collection box, make sure you drop it off before the last collection time posted on the box.
• Taxpayers whose 2007 adjusted gross income was $54,000 or less can electronically file for free through the IRS-sponsored Free File program. This program can only be accessed through the Web site www.irs.gov.
• Do not click on any links or answer any questions from anyone claiming to be the IRS. It is probably a scam. Forward e-mails or report the calls suspected to be fraudulent to phishing@irs.gov.
• Remember to double check your figures, sign your forms and attach all required paperwork.
- Sources: U.S. Postal Service and Internal Revenue Service.
Need a little more time?
These Syracuse post offices will offer services after normal hours tonight.
• Carousel Post Office, 9711 Carousel Center, will be open until 9 p.m.
• Teall Post Office, 226 Teall Ave., will have an automated center on location with service until about 8 p.m.
• Main Post Office, 5640 East Taft Road, is open until 7 p.m. and has a 24-hour electronic postal kiosk in the lobby that will serve customers until midnight.
Despite an economic stimulus check that comes sooner when people file their returns earlier, millions of Americans have waited until the last minute.
But there is no need for the procrastinators to panic. Some regional post offices will have extended hours for the last minute filers, and extensions are accepted both by mail and on-line.
Auburn resident Mike Diehl is one of the millions who will file their income taxes today, which many refer to as Tax Day. Diehl said Monday that he still needed to meet with an accountant, though he had an appointment.
“It is easier when someone else does it for you,” Diehl said.
According to the U.S. Postal Service, three post offices in Syracuse will offer services after normal business hours. However, the Auburn Post Office on Genesee Street will keep its normal business hours.
Lance Jones, a supervisor at the Auburn office, said the mail volume always picks up the week of the tax deadline. However, post office officials are not expecting quite the same-sized rush that usually comes on April 15, Jones said.
“I'm guessing that with the stimulus package stuff going on, it is not going to be as bad as in the past,” he said.
Typically, the post office sells three times as many certified mail parcels on Tax Day than any other day, according to Maureen Marion, spokeswoman for the postal service. And while it is hard to isolate which mail is tax-related, Marion said more people have filed early, online or both this year.
“We did see also a large number of folks who came out early, and electronic filing is growing in popularity,” Marion said.
Out of the 136 million tax forms the government estimates will be filed, 80 to 82 million are expected to be filed electronically, she added.
According to the IRS, electronic filings are up almost 10 percent, and 7.5 percent of filers received refunds by direct deposit as of April 4.
For those who just can't file by today, the IRS gives taxpayers an extra six months if they file an extension.
However, the extension only gives you extra time to get your paperwork in. Taxpayers who do not pay by today will be charged late fees and interest, according to the IRS.
The extension form, Form 4868, can be downloaded from www.irs.gov. Extensions can also be filed online through companies linked from the IRS Web site.
Jones said that the office usually has tax forms on location, but they are always out of stock this close to the deadline.
“They're out of luck,” Jones said of anyone who will show up today looking for an extension form.
Auburn resident Edward Jones won't be worrying about such things, though he admitted Monday that he isn't exactly an early filer.
“I just dropped it off right now,” he said, while standing in front of the post office.
Every year, it is a tradition to file his taxes the day before deadline, he said. He also always does them himself, though he added that he would like to see a more efficient, less complicated system for collecting taxes.
“There are some politicians who want to do away with the IRS completely, and I agree with that,” Edward Jones said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
Filing your taxes or extensions by mail today?
Here are a few things to remember:
• Make sure you have proper postage, especially if you have extra paperwork. The IRS does not accept tax documents with insufficient postage.
• Do not use an office postage meter. The IRS does not accept private postmarks as proof of timely filing.
• If you are depositing your tax return today in a public post office collection box, make sure you drop it off before the last collection time posted on the box.
• Taxpayers whose 2007 adjusted gross income was $54,000 or less can electronically file for free through the IRS-sponsored Free File program. This program can only be accessed through the Web site www.irs.gov.
• Do not click on any links or answer any questions from anyone claiming to be the IRS. It is probably a scam. Forward e-mails or report the calls suspected to be fraudulent to phishing@irs.gov.
• Remember to double check your figures, sign your forms and attach all required paperwork.
- Sources: U.S. Postal Service and Internal Revenue Service.
Need a little more time?
These Syracuse post offices will offer services after normal hours tonight.
• Carousel Post Office, 9711 Carousel Center, will be open until 9 p.m.
• Teall Post Office, 226 Teall Ave., will have an automated center on location with service until about 8 p.m.
• Main Post Office, 5640 East Taft Road, is open until 7 p.m. and has a 24-hour electronic postal kiosk in the lobby that will serve customers until midnight.
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