Tax Day Post Office Extended Hours

If you are a last-minute filer, don’t worry; we aren’t judging you. Instead, we are here to help.

If you’ve been following SavingAdvice for the last few weeks, you have most likely been reading up on some of our latest tax filing tips. If you haven’t, you probably should.

You may have already heard of the extended deadline announced last week, and if so, we are sure you’re jumping for joy right about now. Try not to procrastinate any longer, but if you do, you are going to need to know the tax day post office extended hours if you have no plans of filing your taxes online.

In 2012, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) declared that it was not going to include extended post office hours due to the rise in e-filing and a decrease in budget. However, they have luckily restored the increased hours. They also considered your return complete by the deadline if postmarked April 18th.

While all offices won’t have the same hours, all 50 U.S. states (plus D.C.) will be open late. You also need to be aware, though, that collection time is not the same as closing time. So, if your post office closes at 7 p.m. but the last collection time is 5 p.m., you need to drop off your forms before 5 p.m. to have your paperwork count as “on-time” and postmarked by the due date. After the collection time, it will be considered sent April 19th.

If you are worried that you may not make the deadline, you can request an extension. The time limit for an extension is until October 17, 2016. The process is easier than what you might expect; to begin, you fill out a 4868. You can fill it out and physically mail it in, but you also do have the option file online. This may be a better route for you to ensure they receive it.

To find out if the post offices near you will have extended hours or not, USPS makes it simple through this handy postal office search tool. You can also call USPS to see when the post office opens and closes its doors on tax day at 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) as well as pickups. For any last minute questions you may have about your forms, you can call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.

Some mailing tips to keep in mind as you finish your last steps of your return:

• Have proper postage. If your envelope weighs more than 1 oz., you will need to double up on stamps. Tax returns without sufficient postage will be refused; thus, causing you to be potentially late.
• Write neatly and clearly. If you know you have illegible handwriting, consider printing out labels for your forms. Be sure to include both addresses (to and from).
• Look for the Collection Box® USPS provides in order to avoid a crowd of people. Plus, these boxes have a pickup time that comes before the deadline.

Most post offices seem to be open on average until 7 p.m. This will hopefully give you plenty of time to get out of work (if you are employed at a 9-5) and immediately rush to the nearest post office.