2011 filing deadline-18 Apr

[BP.]

Filing deadline is 18 Apr 2011. Emancipation Day holiday in D.C. My state (PA) is conforming.
Hey . . . it'll help make up for that mid-Feb filing delay!
The 15th of Apr is a Fri, so we have an extra weekend to work.

[Jiggers]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Fling deadline is 18 Apr 2011. Emancipation Day holiday in D.C. My state (PA) is conforming.
Hey . . . it'll help make up for that mid-Feb filing delay!
The 15th of Apr is a Fri, so we have an extra weekend to work.

My clients will never hear that!

If the filing deadline was August 15, I would still have the same procrastinators and would still have long hours the few days before!

[dtlee]

I totally agree. None of my clients will be encouraged to believe that. Even if the news media tells them they have more time, I will insist that they should not believe everything they get from the news.

[Jesse]

My clients will never hear that!

If the filing deadline was August 15, I would still have the same procrastinators and would still have long hours the few days before!

I'm with you on this one - I can only hope my procrastinating clients don't hear this!!!

[superman]

That is GREAT!!

That means one more weekend of long hours but also making some extra money. I look forward to that and will take the last min. filers.

[S T]

April 15th That is It and that is My Final Word

I am not giving my clients one extra "minute" - I just have that last handful that always has me working until the midnight deadline on 4-15.

This will be a "secret" as far as I am concerned!

Sandy

[JohnH]

Midnight on the 15th? Come on Sandy, you're letting your clients force you to work yourself to death. Who's in charge here? Tax preparers are one of the few professions that actually let their clients dictate how they do business. Stick an extension in front of them and if they resist, hand them HRB's phone number. If any actually take you up on it, good riddance.

April 15 (or 18th this year) should be a leisurely day where you come into the office at mid-morning, do a last-minute review of your extension list, and leave early enough to have a nice enjoyable dinner at your favorite restaurant.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Sounds good to me

That sounds good to me John. But reality is that if you are a one person office, there are usually things you just didn't get done earlier and still have to work on the 15th.

I am going to be better organized and more efficient this year. I'll let you know how that goes on April 19th.

Linda

[OtisMozzetti]

Filing deadline is 18 Apr 2011. Emancipation Day holiday in D.C. My state (PA) is conforming.
Hey . . . it'll help make up for that mid-Feb filing delay!
The 15th of Apr is a Fri, so we have an extra weekend to work.

I confirmed, in the i1040gi.pdf Form 1040 instructions, that the filing deadline for federal returns is April 18, 2011, throughout the U.S. It would be hard for me to believe that there is any state which has a different filing deadline [for their own state tax returns], but maybe there could be a state somewhere which does not conform.

[JohnH]

Linda. I'm a one person office too, so I'm not just spouting off. For a one-person office, extensions are even more of a necessity. One never knows when illness, family problems, weather, etc can bite into your precious time those last couple of weeks.

The first time I stared down a long-time procrastinator over this exension business, I was nervous as could be. But after that first experience, it got so easy that now it's second nature. Anybody who comes after the cutoff date (usually around Mar 20 for me), gets an extension. No exceptions. That simply takes Apr 15 off the table insofar as having any significance. The extension enables you to then pick & choose which ones to complete before Apr 15 and which ones to leave for after the 15th, based on your workload. Apr 15 becomes just another workday, rather than panic time.

I think lots of tax preparers like the adrenaline rush of those final hectic days, followed by completely relaxing on Apr 16th, maybe rewarding themselves with a few days off, a vacation, etc. Some even suffer under the illusion that clients are impressed by their stamina, devotion, etc. The fact is, procrastinators will act so thankful & appreciative when the preparer slaves aways as the deadline looms, but in fact they coudln't care less about your health or your stress. Catering to them by rushing to "get it done" encourages them to keep coming in late every year. But what's overlooked is that it's terribly risky since a tired, overworked, slightly cranky person is more prone to make mistakes or to miss something important.

Sorry to be so long-winded about this, but I've been on both sides of this fence. I used to particpate in the Apr 15 shuffle and spend the next day or two exhausted - congratulating myslef on my deft handling of the deadline and those lazy clients. Nobody cared but me. Then I decided many years ago to try and keep the clients' procrastination habits from becoming my problem. It's a less stressful and much healthier way to run a business.

[RitaB]

You are my hero

I love you, John.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Smart man

You are a smart man, John. Last year was the first year that I have been rushed on the 15th and I HATED it! That is why I said this year will be different.

I do have to admit that last year was partially my fault because of not having a good schedule. But I learned from it.

I will not be making promises about getting returns finished when there is not reasonable time to do it.

Linda

[RitaB]

Unrelated but Wow

I have a message on the answering machine from a couple who say they have received their forms, when can I get the return done?

Happy New Year.

[outwest]

Exactly right John...

I remind people that it's better right than rushed...

[taxea]

received this as part of an IRS email...

Taxpayers will have until Monday, April 18 to file their 2010 tax returns and pay any tax due because Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia, falls this year on Friday, April 15. By law, District of Columbia holidays impact tax deadlines in the same way that federal holidays do; therefore, all taxpayers will have three extra days to file this year. Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Oct. 17 to file their 2010 tax returns.

Since Friday 4/15 is a holiday I am sure no changes will be made to extend the state filing date requirement