| They say death and taxes are the only things you can | | | | automatically granted. |
| count on in life. I don't know about that, but I do know | | | | It is important to understand that the extension is only |
| that the tax return filing deadline for taxpayers is | | | | for the time to file the tax return. It is not an extension |
| quickly approaching. Voting is a key part of living in a | | | | on the time to pay the actual taxes you owe. If you |
| democracy. Unfortunately, so is the act of paying | | | | owe, you must pay on or before April 15, 2009. What |
| taxes. We actually pay them far more than we realize. | | | | happens if you do not pay? You will be assessed |
| While everyone gripes about income taxes, we pay | | | | penalties and interest on the amount you owe. The |
| sales taxes in most states every day. Still, it is the | | | | longer you wait, the more it will end up costing you. If |
| income tax return filing deadline that drives must | | | | you completely fail to pay, the IRS will want to have a |
| taxpayers crazy. | | | | little chat with you that you really are not going to |
| The deadline for filing your return for the 2008 tax | | | | enjoy. |
| year is April 15, 2009. That's a Wednesday this year. | | | | Everyone knows things are tough these days given |
| By the end of that day, you will need to have filed a | | | | the economic mess we are going through. This |
| return electronically or by mail as necessary. If you | | | | includes the IRS. If you have run into problems, it |
| send it by regular mail, it is often wise to send it | | | | makes sense to go ahead and file your tax return |
| registered so you'll get confirmation it was received by | | | | even if you can't pay. As strange as it may seem, the |
| the IRS. | | | | IRS is actually one of the most helpful government |
| What if you can't meet the deadline? Life has a way | | | | agencies when things go wrong. The IRS actually |
| of getting busy and filing taxes can be something that | | | | showed businesses impacted by Hurricane Katrina |
| takes a lot of time if for no other reason than to | | | | how to amend returns from previous years to claim |
| gather and organize your tax documents. Fortunately, it | | | | losses from the hurricane and get massive tax |
| is not a big deal. You can simply file for a six month | | | | refunds that could be used to restart businesses. |
| extension by filing Form 4868. The extension is | | | | |