This year, the filing deadline is at midnight this coming Monday, April 18th.
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Because Emancipation Day, usually observed on April 16, falls on a Saturday, IRS offices in the District of Columbia will be closed the day before, on what’s typically tax day.
Most taxpayers can qualify for the general automatic tax extension from the Internal Revenue Service if they can’t file their tax returns by the due date.
President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, April 16, 1862, freeing about 3,100 slaves in the District of Columbia, nine months before Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. “ME and MA residents are still required to pay the first installment of any estimated income tax payments by April 18”.
Remember: An extension of time for filing doesn’t extend the due date for your taxes. Uncle Sam now holds refunds totaling $950 million from people who did not file taxes in 2012.
Another quick and easy way to get an extension is to make an electronic payment, such as through IRS Direct Pay, and select Form 4868 to indicate that it is for an extension.
– A federal holiday in Washington this year means you get an extra three days to file your tax returns.
A main rule of thumb for filing taxes is to file them as soon as possible.
You can e-file your federal extension request online for free using IRS Free File at irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free and electronically request an extension on Form 4868.
Once you’ve filed your completed IRS tax extension form, you’ll automatically get the six-month extension to file your IRS tax return. The IRS says the average refund amount was $2,798.
If you cannot afford to pay your taxes right now, after filing an extension you can request a short-term extension to pay. If you received Social Security benefits, you’ll need to have Form SSA-1099. After April 18, New Yorkers will no longer be eligible to claim their 2012 tax refunds. The vast majority of those who get audited are making a million dollars or more each year. In general, they have many more options available to collect your tax debt than do other companies you may owe money to.
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“You can also purchase tax filing programs like TaxCut, H&R Block or TurboTax, which come in both online (sometimes these are free) and desktop versions”, the report noted.
