For those people who are still toiling away on their taxes, you can rest a little easier because you've got a few extra days before you really have to sweat.
Tax Day isn't April 15 this year, it's April 18. And for the lucky folks in Maine and Massachusetts, it's actually April 19. What gives? Well, it all comes down to a couple of holidays that take precedence over taxes.
• Emancipation Day celebrates the day in 1862 that President Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, freeing more than 3,000 slaves in the District of Columbia. It was a precursor to the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed over 3 million slaves in several states. It will be observed in the District of Columbia on April 15 this year, and any holiday observed in the District is considered by the IRS to be an official legal holiday nationwide. So that means all of us get to procrastinate on our federal taxes until Monday, April 18. Hey, thanks, D.C.
• Patriots' Day, meanwhile, is a state holiday in Massachusetts and Maine that commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the first of the American Revolution. Because Patriots’ Day will be celebrated on April 18 this year, IRS offices in those states will be closed and taxpayers won't be able to file their returns by hand, which is a requirement. So folks in those two states will get until Tuesday, April 19 to file.
But they shouldn't push their luck with estimated tax payments. Those are all due on Monday, April 18 for everyone, no matter what state you live in. That's because the IRS office that receives them is in another state, and it's open for business that day. So, go, enjoy your parades, but don't forget to pay the piper.
