If you’re one of the 40 million Americans who has still not filed your taxes this year, here’s a friendly reminder that might offer a little relief: You have an extra three days to submit your annual return.
Although tax day in the United States by law falls on April 15, this year the deadline lands on Tuesday, April 18.
That’s because April 15 is a Saturday, and Monday is a holiday in Washington D.C., the home of the Internal Revenue Service. The capitol observes Emancipation Day, a holiday commemorating the day in 1862 when Abraham Lincoln signed legislation freeing slaves in the District of Columbia.
In a press release Thursday, the IRS urged taxpayers not to “panic.” IRS agents will staff telephone lines on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time, to help taxpayers with any last-minute issues.
As of last week, the IRS has processed more than 100 million tax returns. The average refund is $2,851 this year, up 1.9% from last year. About 92% of tax returns were submitted electronically.
A huge percentage of Americans wait until the last minute (or longer) to file their returns. The IRS expects to receive another 18 million returns this week and another 12 million next week. The agency said it also expects about 13 million taxpayers will file requests for an extended deadline.