Q. I need to request an extension for filing my taxes. How long do extensions last?

A. You and about 71,400 other Hawai'i taxpayers are pondering this question. The Internal Revenue Service estimates that about 12 percent of the state's estimated 613,500 taxpayers this year will file for an extension.

There's good news for you on the federal front, though. This year you automatically get six months (to Oct. 16 because Oct. 15 is a Sunday) when you file for an extension.

That's a change from the past when you automatically got four months and then could file another request for two more months. You'll need Form 4868 to request more time.

You should be clear on what you are doing, though. Filing for an extension isn't a way to put off paying taxes; it's just a way to put off sending in the return. If you are filing for an extension, the IRS requires you make an estimate and pay liability by April 17, the deadline this year for federal tax returns.

The state of Hawai'i also requires people to estimate and pay taxes when filing for an extension. If not, you'll face a penalty for late filing of 5 percent a month and interest of 0.67 percent monthly on unpaid taxes and penalties.

You have until April 20 to finish state taxes. If you file a Form N-101A, you'll automatically gain another four months time. You won't have to file this form if you don't owe the state anything.

Annette Yamanuha, state taxpayer services branch manager, said you can file for a second extension with a Form N-101B. (This applies to people who don't owe and those who do.) But this request for an additional two months doesn't grant an automatic reprieve.

You'll need to explain on the B form why you need more time and wait for the department's decision, Yamanuha said.

The state forms, along with other tax documents, can be found at www.hawaii.gov/tax /a1_forms.htm.

Q. Can I use my credit card to pay taxes so I can get frequent flier mileage?

A. Yes, there are ways to pay if you've got a major credit card. But you might want to fire up your calculator to see if it's worth it. For some people it's an expensive way to accumulate miles.

Service providers sanctioned to process these payments for the IRS charge "convenience fees" that start at 2.49 percent of what's owed.

That works out to 2.5 cents a mile for people with credit cards that offer a mile for each dollar spent. At this rate it would cost you $875 to get 35,000 miles, the amount most frequent flier programs require for a roundtrip ticket to the Mainland.

But using credit cards may pencil out for folks who owe the IRS several thousand dollars and need a few thousand miles to get a free flight.

You can make credit card tax payments through the telephone, on the Internet or e-filing. Once you pay, you'll be issued a confirmation number and, according to the IRS, it will show up on your credit card statement as "United States Treasury Tax Payment."

Service providers include: