SUNBURY— The IRS says nearly one in three taxpayers wait until the last minute to file their tax return. If you are one of them, Lamont Masser, Local H &R Block franchise owner, has some last minute tax tips.
Masser says if you are unable to file before the deadline you need to at least file for an extension saying, “If you can’t get all your paperwork together, you have to file at least an extension. Form 4868 is what is used for an individual. It is an extension of time to file; it’s not an extension of time to pay. If you still find you can’t file your taxes by April 18 you have to estimate and pay at least 90% of that by April 18 to avoid penalty.”
If you file your own taxes, Masser suggests getting a second look, “About half of the tax returns that we do second looks for, we find mistakes. Almost 50 percent of them leave money on the table. In fact, I have a few of them on my desk right now that I’m finishing up where we are getting average refunds back of about a thousand dollars per year, as we itemize and go back and amend those tax returns.”
Due to April 15 falling on a Saturday and the day before Easter the deadline to file your taxes this year has been pushed to Tuesday, April 18. (Sarah Benek)
