Photo

A man picks up federal tax form 1040 at a post office in Palo Alto, Calif., Wednesday, April 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Regular Photo Size

Sidebar

Hostages all out of Ind. realty office

Police say all hostages have been released from an Indiana …

Presidential race is most costly ever

The battle between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt …

Passenger arrested on Miami flight

A 24-year-old Canadian man is in federal custody for rushing …

Suspect awaits arraignment in '79 Etan Patz case

Suspect awaits arraignment in Patz case

Psychologists examined a man accused in one of New York City's …

P&G to make detergent packs safer

The maker of Tide Pods will create a new double-latch lid to …

Dread April 15? This year, taxes due 2 days later

Thanks to two quirks of the calendar

Updated: Thursday, 05 Jan 2012, 6:23 AM EST
Published : Thursday, 05 Jan 2012, 6:23 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Does the mere mention of April 15 send chills up your spine? Not to worry — the Internal Revenue Service has postponed this year's deadline for filing federal income taxes until two days later.

The IRS said Wednesday that taxpayers will have until April 17 to file their 2011 returns, thanks to two quirks of the calendar.

April 15 falls on a Sunday this year, and the following day is Emancipation Day, which is observed in the District of Columbia. By federal law, District of Columbia holidays affect tax deadlines the same way federal holidays do, giving taxpayers an extra day.

People requesting an extension will have until Oct. 15 to file.

The IRS says it is expecting more than 144 million individual tax returns to be filed this year.