Uncle Sam is giving taxpayers an extra three days to file their federal tax returns this year because the District of Columbia will observe Emancipation Day.

The Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday that taxpayers will have until midnight Monday, April 18, to file their 2010 returns because the nation's capital will observe Emancipation Day on Friday, April 15.  Furthermore, taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Oct. 17 to file their returns.
By law, local holidays in the nation's capital impact tax deadlines the same way federal holidays would, the IRS said.

The IRS expects to process more than 140 million individual tax returns this year. Most taxpayers can fill out their returns and file them as soon as they receive all their tax documents from employers, banks and other financial institutions. Some taxpayers, however, will have to wait to file until mid- to late February to file their returns because of late changes to the 2010 tax law passed by Congress in December.

Those who must wait to file include people who itemize their deductions, taxpayers who claim a deduction for college tuition and fees, and school teachers who claim a deduction for out-of-pocket classroom expenses.

Visit the McConnell & Jones Knowledge Institute to learn more about the impact of the new Tax Relief, Unemployement Insurance and Job Creation Act of 2010.

For tax planning advice and assistance with preparing your returns, please contact one of McConnell & Jones’ tax experts today.

The Associated Press contributed content for this communication.