The tax deadline is upon us. For most Americans, that day is April 15, but Massachusetts and Maine residents will have until April 17 to file their taxes this year. If you still have some last-minute questions, the IRS can help answer some of those this weekend in-person.
On Saturday, April 13, the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in Boston will be open to answer any last-minute questions ahead of the state’s tax deadline.
This is the only location in Massachusetts that will be open this weekend. Connecticut will open three offices and New Hampshire will open their Manchester location.
Residents will have a chance to meet face-to-face with IRS employees for help with any tax account issues. This could be questions about a tax bill or audits, or if they need help resolving a tax problem or verifying someone’s identity.
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Their office is located at the JFK building at 15 New Sudbury St. in Boston. They’ll be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You won’t need to make an appointment, but the IRS encourages people to get there early and be prepared with a photo ID, and taxpayer identification information so they can accommodate as many people as possible.
Tax return preparation services will not be offered, but the IRS will provide information to anyone needing to find free local tax resources.
If you find you're not going to be able to file before the deadline, make sure to file an extension. We spoke to John Warren, an Enrolled Agent at Medford Tax Experts, about what taxpayers need to know if they need a little extra time to file.
“The important note about the extension is an extension is extra time to send paperwork. It's not extra time to send money,” explains Warren. “If you owe money and you know, you can't pay, file the tax return and then work out the payment agreement, and you can go online to pay the state, agency or pay the IRS over time.”
If you request an extension with the IRS, you'll have until October 15 to file your federal and state tax returns. You can use the IRS’s free file tool or other tax-filing software to request this. If you fail to file your taxes by the deadline and do not request an extension, the IRS may issue a failure-to-file penalty on the amount of any unpaid taxes.
