Tax Day is April 17, 2018
Tax filers have two extra days this year, until April 17, 2018, to submit their income tax returns to the IRS. In some states, residents can file their state income tax returns even later.
Apr. 03, 2018
Think April 15 is the deadline for Americans to file their tax returns (or request an extension)? Nope.
Tax filers have two extra days this year, until April 17, 2018, to submit their income tax returns to the IRS. In some states, residents can file their state income tax returns even later.
Normally, the tax due for individuals and corporations to file their federal income tax returns – Form 1040 for individuals and Form 1120 for corporations, respectively – is the 15th day of the four month after the close of the tax year. That works out to April 15th and this “Tax Day” has become synonymous with filing individual income tax returns in this country.
However, there are a few wrinkles to the rules. If the filing due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the deadline is moved to the following weekday. Because April 15th is on a Sunday, this year, that would push the due date to Monday, April 16th. But wait, there’s more.
The term “legal holiday” means any legal holiday in the District of Columbia. And it just so happens that April 17th is Emancipation Day in our nation’s capital. This holiday commemorates the signing of the “Compensated Emancipation Act” by President Lincoln on April 16, 1862. Therefore, the official income tax filing deadline this year is April 17th.
In Maine and Massachusetts, Patriots’ Day is a statewide legal holiday observed on the third Monday of April. In 2016, Patriots’ Day fell on Monday, April 18th. So that gave residents in these two states an extra day — to Tuesday, April 19, 2016 – to file their 2015 returns. This year, the filing due date is the same as it is for other taxpayers around the country, April 17th.
What about the due date for filing state income tax returns? Generally, the states go along with whatever deadline Uncle Sam sets, but a handful of states have special rules. For this year, the following states have filing deadlines that differ from the federal deadline:
Delaware: April 30
Hawaii: April 20
Iowa: May 1
Louisiana: May 15
Virginia: May 1
And of course, there are the nine states where there is no tax on earned income: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
Even with the extended due date, taxpayers may not have enough time to file. No worries – you can obtain an automatic six-month extension, but you still must pay the taxes owed by the initial due date.