Apr 15, 2008 8:20 pm US/Eastern
Tax Day Arrives, Midnight Deadline Nears
People Who Do Not File Today Must File For An Extension
MIAMI (CBS) ―
Last minute filers have less than 24 hours to file their 2007 tax return with the IRS.
Many post offices will be open until midnight accepting tax returns to help late filers meet the deadline.
Postal officials remind everyone who plans to drop off their returns on Tuesday to check to make sure they have the proper postage on the envelope.
The IRS encourages everyone to file electronically if possible. Online or software tax preparation packages can help taxpayers avoid simple math mistakes, avoid common errors and allow you to easily fix any problem.
"The biggest mistake we still see is in the Social Security numbers, or people transposing numbers, or not putting numbers down correctly, and even wrong numbers, which can all hold up the tax return," said IRS spokesman Mike Dobzinski.
Taxpayers who file electronically and opt to receive their refund via a direct deposit to their checking or savings account will receive it faster than those who file with a paper return, or opt to receive their refund in the form of a paper check.
Taxpayers who are not ready to file on Tuesday must still file a Form 4868 Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Taxpayers who file for this extension will have until October 15th to file their return. The IRS points out, however, taxpayers who file for an extension must still pay their estimated income tax by April 15th.
Taxpayers who file late will be assessed penalties and interest.
The I.R.S. concerned that along with refund checks, there will be rebate checks, too, which will be targeted by scam artists over the Internet, via postal service or even on the phone.
Dobzinski reiterated another type of scam, "The caller will call up and say he has a check for you and that he's from the I.R.S., and if you provide certain information, most likely banking type information, he'll send you a check."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
