Postal Service braces for last-minute rush of tax procrastinators
• Need last-minute help? Links to forms, extension filing and more in Tax Aid.
By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Postal Service is preparing postmarks for the passel of procrastinators who wait until the midnight deadline tonight to file their federal income tax returns for 2001.
"Last year, we collected over 73,000 tax mailings on tax night," said acting Honolulu District Manager Frank Santos.
Taxpayers can avoid the late-night rush by mailing returns or extension requests during normal business hours today at any post office, station or collection box throughout Hawai'i, Santos said.
But check collection times on boxes first, and make sure to use enough postage. Four or more tax forms may require at least an extra 21 cents for the second ounce.
After normal business hours, mail deposited by midnight in the outside collection box at several locations will receive an April 15 postmark.
On O'ahu, those locations include the main post office, airport; downtown; Hawai'i Kai; Kapalama; Makiki; Waikiki; Wai'alae-Kahala; 'Ewa Beach; Hale'iwa; Kane'ohe; Kailua; Mililani; Wahiawa; and Wai'anae.
On Neighbor Islands, midnight collection will take place at Hilo, Kailua, Kona and Kamuela; Kahului, Kihei, Lahaina, Makawao and Wailuku; Lihu'e; Lanai City; and Kaunakakai.
On O'ahu, special collection hampers will be set up from 5 to 10 p.m. at the main post office: follow the signs past the main entrance to the 'ewa gate. Normal collection boxes there may be used after 10 p.m.
In Honolulu, special assistance will be provided for patrons between 5 and 10 p.m. at the blue curbside collection boxes outside the downtown station on Richards Street.
Officials expect midnight mail filing may be down by as much as 15 percent this year because of the growing popularity of filing electronically, Santos said.
"The number of people who have to pay stays pretty constant, but more are choosing to file electronically," he said.
Still, "there are always those who just choose to wait until the last day."
Reach Walter Wright at wwright@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8054.
