Last-minute tax filers still have a few options

It’s that time of the year again already. Wednesday is April 15, a day many Americans dread considering it’s the deadline to file tax returns.

For Maricopans who need last-minute help with their taxes, the H&R Block location at 20928 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite C-5 (in the Bashas’ shopping center) is still taking walk-in appointments, but be prepared for the possibility of a one- to two-hour wait. H&R Block is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday this week to accommodate the rush before the deadline.

The Maricopa Post Office, at 44920 W. Hathaway Ave., will be open for its normal hours – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Wednesday. Last-minute filers who need to mail returns after-hours will have to make the trek to Phoenix, where main Post Office at 4949 E. Van Buren St. will have its retail lobby open until midnight. There is also a drive-through drop-off service at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium parking lot, off Van Buren and 56th Street, until midnight.

As always, taxpayers can request an automatic six-month extension to file by submitting Form 4868, but any money owed to the IRS still must be paid by Wednesday’s deadline to avoid a penalty.

Those who haven’t calculated their taxes yet are hardly alone. According to Internal Revenue Service data, 27.3 million people filed their returns in the final week last year.

Staff photo