What if taxes are postmarked April 16?

Under the postmark rule, a return is treated as having been filed on the date of the postmark on the envelope, even the correspondence is received after the due date. But a return envelope that is postmarked April 16th or after is treated as being late, even if it isn’t your fault.

Are taxes late if postmarked April 15?

Normally, your taxes are due on ​April 15​ and you can mail your taxes on ​April 15​ and still be on time as long as the envelope gets postmarked that day. For the 2020 personal federal tax return due in 2021, the due date is now ​May 17​. This is for the federal return only.

What happens if my taxes are postmarked a day late?

For every month that you file late, you’ll have to pay an additional 5 percent penalty on the total amount you owe. It’s important to note that a month doesn’t mean 30 days to the IRS — filing your return even one day late means you’ll still be hit with the full 5 percent penalty.

Does IRS go by postmark date?

Your return is considered filed on time if the envelope is properly addressed, has enough postage, is postmarked, and is deposited in the mail by the due date. If you file electronically, the date and time in your time zone when your return is transmitted controls whether your return is filed timely.

Can I legally not file my taxes by the April deadline?

Yes, electronically filed tax returns are accepted until November. If April 15 falls on a weekend or legal holiday, you have until midnight the next business day following April 15 to timely file either Form 4868 or your tax return. If you timely file Form 4868, you have until October 15 to timely file your return.

What does April 15th postmark mean?

(In other words, if your return is due by April 15, you mail it and have it postmarked on April 15, and the IRS receives it on April 22, your return will be deemed filed on April 15 and won’t be considered late. Consequently, many taxpayers prefer to send their returns to the IRS via certified or registered mail.

Should tax returns be stapled?

Do not staple or paperclip your return. The only thing that should be stapled is/are your W2 form(s) or income documents that have tax withholding. Page 2 of the 1040 has a place marked at the top left where these items should be attached.

What happens if my tax return is postmarked late?

If the return is postmarked April 16, as Xuan notes, and you did not file for an extension by April 15, the return is late. If you do not owe any tax, you pay no penalty. If a tax return is postmarked April 16, it is filed after the due date.

What happens if you miss the tax return deadline?

Missing a deadline can have significant consequences. If you do not file your personal income tax return on time, you incur a penalty of 5\% of the unpaid tax amount for each month or part of a month that the return is late. If you miss the filing deadline by even one day, you incur the penalty for an entire month.

What is the deadline for filing a tax return?

The IRS considers a tax return filed on time if it is correctly addressed, has enough postage, and is postmarked by the due date. October 15, 2018 — Federal tax return extension deadline. April 15, 2019 — Federal tax return filing deadline.

What would happen if taxes were filed before midnight on April 15?

And there would be long lines of people waiting to hand their return to a postal employee before midnight. The taxpayer knew the envelope would be postmarked April 15 by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), thus meeting the filing deadline.