Here’s a reminder that you have extra time to do your taxes this year.
Michael Devine, a spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service in St. Louis, says the deadline this year to file is Monday. He says it’s due to the celebration of “Emancipation Day” in the District of Columbia on April 16th.
“This year, it’s a Saturday, so they’re celebrating it on Friday. The funny thing about the law, it says that a holiday in the District of Columbia means that the IRS can’t collect taxes. The government is still open, we’ll all be at work, but we just can’t collect taxes on the 15th. So, the deadline goes to the next business day. In this case, it’s Monday, April 18th,” he says.
“What I really tell people is, just forget that part, go ahead and file like you’re supposed to do by the 15th. That way you can be done and go, ‘Gosh, I got it done early this year!’”
Devine notes the deadline for filing state taxes in Illinois follows the federal deadline.
“That would also mean that if you are requesting an extension of time to file your federal tax return- that’s a six month extension, all the way until October 17th- that the state return would also be due at the same time your federal return would be due. So, you only have to file the federal extension request and, as far as I know, all of the states accept that you don’t have to file a separate form asking for an extension at the state level,” Devine says.
He adds if you can’t get your taxes done by the deadline, you should request an extension to avoid penalties and interest on unpaid taxes. If you are owed a refund, there’s no penalty for missing the tax deadline, but Devine explains you won’t get your refund until you file.