Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 15, 1991 TAG: 9104150270
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
It's a taxing time for all Americans, but especially for the millions who have waited until the last minute to file their 1990 federal tax returns - and for Postal Service and IRS employees who have to deal with the annual April 15 onslaught.
The Internal Revenue Service expects to receive 27 million returns at its 10 processing centers this week - nearly one of every four that will be filed this year.
Most people must file by midnight tonight, but several million will take longer.
The IRS said many of its offices and its toll-free telephone number - 800-829-1040 - would remain open into the evening to answer taxpayer questions. But don't expect instant service; repeated tries often are required in the best of times to get through to an IRS operator.
Five million or more couples and individuals are expected to escape the filing-deadline rush by getting an automatic four-month extension simply by mailing a Form 4868 before midnight. That form won't get you more time to pay whatever is owed; a check for the outstanding balance must accompany the form.
A two-month extension is available without asking for those whose home and main place of business are outside the United States and Puerto Rico.
Military personnel who served in the Persian Gulf area at any time since Aug. 2 have at least 180 days after today to file. Most have automatic extensions of up to 285 days and no penalty or interest will be charged on payments that otherwise would have been due today.
Those military taxpayers who are due refunds will begin earning interest today, even if they use the extension to delay filing.
Those special breaks also are available to Red Cross workers, accredited journalists and other personnel who were in the Persian Gulf in what the law considers to be a role supporting the military.
by CNB