| Looking for a reason for put off until October 15 what | | | | April 15 while thousands of frantic taxpayers are stuck |
| you can do on April 15? Do you need some | | | | in traffic at their local post office; instead, you'll be |
| encouragement to join America's largest group of | | | | working in your garden or reading a good book, |
| procrastinators? Then read on to discover five good | | | | because you've got all summer to finish your return. |
| reasons to join millions of other loyal American | | | | Reason 4: It's easy. As tax forms go, this is one of the |
| taxpayers who legally file their tax return late, without | | | | easiest tax forms to complete. You put in your name, |
| any late filing penalties and without being harassed by | | | | address and social security number - and you are |
| the IRS. | | | | already halfway done! Only four more lines to go: an |
| Reason 1: It's free. It won't cost you a dime to file Form | | | | estimate of your tax liability, the total amount of tax |
| 4868. Well, it's almost free. If you file Form 4868 by | | | | payments (from W-2 or 1099 withholdings and/or |
| snail-mail, it will cost you one postage stamp. | | | | quarterly estimated tax payments), any balance due, |
| Reason 2: It's automatic. You don't have to have a | | | | and the amount you are paying with the form. A tax |
| good reason, a bad reason, or any reason at all. Just | | | | form can't be any easier than that. |
| send in the form and that's all there is to it. No need to | | | | Reason 5: It's fast. You can use your tax preparation |
| come up with some lame excuse like "My dog ate my | | | | software program to e-file Form 4868. Talk about fast. |
| W-2." | | | | You push the Enter button on your keyboard and the |
| Reason 3: It's relaxing. Remember how you've spent | | | | data gets transmitted to the IRS in a nanosecond. |
| April 14 or April 15 in previous years? It's way past | | | | You'll then receive an electronic confirmation from the |
| your bedtime, coffee pot still brewing, an opened bottle | | | | IRS after the form has been processed and accepted. |
| of Tylenol on top of your calculator, papers strewn all | | | | If you use a tax professional to prepare your return, he |
| over your desk, receipts everywhere. Is this anyway | | | | she should be able to e-file the form for you, and since |
| to prepare your tax return? Of course not. Do you | | | | no signature is required on this form, getting it done |
| really need another source of stress in your life? File | | | | quickly can take as little as a 5-minute phone call. |
| the extension and now imagine what you'll be doing on | | | | |