The IRS expects more than 168 million individual tax returns will be filed this year. If you've been procrastinating sending off yours, then there's no time like the present to finish your taxes up.
In fact, time is running out given that your return needs to be filed by midnight on Tuesday, April 18.
Unlike the old days, when almost all returns went through the U.S. Post Office, most folks conveniently file their taxes online by the end of Tax Day.
If you prefer to send your return the old-fashioned way, however, there are a few important things to note about post office hours on Tax Day in 2023.
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To ensure you don't end up paying a penalty for filing late, your taxes need to be postmarked no later than April 18. Since you can't just drop them in the mailbox after the last collection or the post office closes, it's essential to get that stamp before day's end.
Read on to find out what the U.S. Postal Service has to say about extended hours this year and everything else to know about Tax Day 2023.
When are taxes due? Your 2022 U.S. income tax return needs to filed online or postmarked by midnight on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
According to the IRS, your mailed return is considered "on time" if it meets the following criteria:
- The envelope is properly addressed.
- It has enough postage.
- The return is postmarked and deposited in the mail by the due date.
Additionally, the IRS says on their website that if "you file electronically, the date and time in your time zone when your return is transmitted controls whether your return is filed timely," and that you'll receive an electronic confirmation when they've accepted your return.
Typically, Tax Day is on April 15, unless it lands on a weekend. This year, April 15 falls on a Saturday, which is why taxes aren't due until the Tuesday, April 18.
Taxpayers filing returns in recent disaster areas including parts of California, Alabama and Georgia have until October 16, 2023 to file their tax returns and can find out more on the IRS website.
Will the post office have extended hours on Tax Day?
In years past, many post office locations remained open until midnight on Tax Day to afford taxpayers every last minute to get their returns in on time.
This isn't happening in 2023, though. "There are no plans to extend hours at any Post Offices across the country, especially since the IRS has given taxpayers until April 18, this year," a USPS spokesperson tells TODAY.com.
So, unless you plan to file online, this means you'll need to carve out a little time to swing by your local post office during normal business hours.
Post office hours can be found at USPS.com or through the USPS mobile app.
Postmark deadlines you need to know
"The most important thing to remember is that tax returns need to be postmarked with the date of April 18," the USPS spokesperson says.
Take note:"If a customer drops off a tax return in a blue collection box or post office after the appointed collection time, it will get postmarked with the next date."
If you find yourself in a bind, digital stamps can be purchased from USPS self-service kiosks and will reflect the April 18 date "as long as it is before midnight," the spokesperson adds.
Need a little extra time?
If you're unable to file your tax return by the April 18 deadline, you may be able to apply for an extension.
According to the IRS, individual tax filers can use the IRS Free File tool to request an automatic extension, which gives taxpayers until October 15 to file their returns (or the next business day if it falls on a weekend, which it does in 2023).
Before requesting an extension, there are a few things to know first.
- An extension does not grant additional time to pay your taxes
- If you owe, you should estimate, then pay any 2022 taxes by April 18 to avoid penalties
- The extension must be filed no later than the regular tax deadline (April 18)
- Taxpayers in certain disaster areas do not need to submit an extension electronically or on paper. Find out if you qualify here.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
