Tax Deadline Nears -- Extensions Available

WASHINGTON - With the tax filing deadline eleven days away, the Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers that it offers automatic extensions for those who can't complete their forms on time.

You can get an extra four months -- until Aug. 15 -- to do the paperwork by sending Form 4868 to the IRS by Apr. 15.

This filing extension does not give more time to pay any taxes owed. You must estimate your total tax liability when requesting the extension. You may pay any projected balance due with the Form 4868, but if you can't pay the full amount, you can still get the extension.

Interest charges apply to any tax not paid by Apr. 15. You may also be liable for a late payment penalty if the total you have paid by Apr. 15 is less than 90 percent of your actual 1995 tax.

You may download Form 4868 to your computer through the IRS Web site -- http://www.irs.gov -- or directly via modem from the Internal Revenue Information System bulletin board at 703-321-8020. Those with a fax machine may use the voice unit to call 703-487-4160 and request item 52 (Form 4868) by return fax. Form 4868 is also available at local IRS offices and many public libraries.

                      1996 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative through the week ending 3/31/95 and 3/29/96

                              1995             1996         % Change

Individual Income Tax Returns

Total Receipts              61,399,000    61,065,000         -0.5
Total Processed             51,284,000    52,024,000          1.4

Filing Alternatives -- Total Receipts:

Standard Electronic          9,932,000   1 0,650,000          7.2
TeleFile                       621,000     2,524,000        306.4
1040PC Format                1,016,OOO     3,448,000        239.4

Refunds Certified by the Martinsburg Computing Center:

Number                  38,767,000     41,578,000            7.3
Amount of principal  $41.711 billion   $52.073 billion      24.8
Average refund          $1076          $1252                16.4

(NOTE: refund data should NOT be compared to the "processed" numbers
above, since those figures reflect Service Center processing, which
is completed at least a week before refunds are certified at the
Computing Center).

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