IRS Extends Filing Deadline for 2011 Returns
The Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday it is extending the deadline for Americans to file their 2011 tax returns to April 17th. The deadline normally falls on April 15th, but that falls on a Sunday this year and Monday is Emancipation Day, a Washington, D.C. holiday that celebrates the freeing of slaves in the district. The deadline was also moved last year, to April 18th, also because of a conflict with Emancipation Day.
The IRS also announced it will begin accepting 2011 tax returns on January 17th through its e-filing system, which it claims is the fastest, most accurate option for tax filers. The agency noted that taxpayers requiring an extension have until October 15th to file. The IRS expects a total of 144 million returns this year, with the overwhelming majority being submitted before the April 17th deadline
