Post offices not staying open late on last day to file taxes

WILMINGTON -- Tuesday is your last day to settle up with Uncle Sam. It's tax day and the clock is ticking away for last-minute filers.

For all the procrastinators out there, you may be out of luck. If you were planning on the post office staying open after hours, well, you'll have to come up with a new plan.

Post offices all across our viewing area are not extending their hours like they have in the past. Because so many tax payers file electronically the number of people mailing their returns has gone down.

Even so the spokesperson for the Myrtle Grove Post Office says the traffic today has been steady, and yesterday, lines were out the door.

While many people Tuesday already had their postmarked returns in hand some say extended hours still would be helpful.

Wilmington resident Glen Jacks said, "Being open late would be nice. For all the people that have to work and do their own taxes."

If you can't make it to the post office by closing time, you have a few options to mail your return.

Self service kiosks are open 24 hours at the Myrtle Grove location on Carolina Beach Road, at 3916 Oleander Dr. and 314 Lennon Dr. in Wilmington.

And be careful. If you have postage on your return and you put it in a mail box that has already passed its collection time, your return will not get postmarked today. To avoid the post office all together you can still file your taxes electronically.

The IRS says about 70 percent of taxpayers filed their returns electronically this year. E-filing helps you avoid the clutter of multiple forms, signature pages and figuring out where to mail your return.

And if you owe money you can choose to file now and pay later.

If you're getting money back you can get it quickly by opting to have it automatically transferred to your bank account.