Well, if this weekend finds you scrambling to finish your Taxes and working to get them submitted on time, here are some Taxes Facts that might be of interest to you! If you are doing your taxes this weekend, you certainly are not alone. Last year proved to be the longest wait for people to submit their taxes in history. Per the IRS, 20% of all Americans did not file their taxes until after April 8th last year, which equals almost 30 Million Americans who were indeed, burning the midnight oil in this timeframe to file their Federal and State returns. The IRS feels that due to the vast increase in Online Filing – eliminating the rush to the Post Office to mail in tax returns “Snail Mail” at the final hour, which is normally anything postmarked by midnight on April 15th. However this year, with the normal deadline falling on a Sunday this year – which is this Weekend should this blog post find you unaware, and if so then this blog is likely a very helpful, important reminder for you – most people in the country have until midnight on Monday April 16th to be on time due to April 15th falling on a Sunday, however here in Maine and in Massachusetts, Monday happens to be an observed Federal Holiday, Patriots Day, so if you live in either Maine or the Bay State, be aware that Federal and State Taxes are not late if postmarked by Midnight, Tuesday April 17th this year. It seems that between 10 to 20% of Americans do not get their taxes submitted until the final couple of days possible, each year. That amounts to Tens of Millions of Tax Returns being submitted in the final hours before they are due.
For those note sure what Patriots Day is all about, most are aware that the running of the Boston Marathon happens on Patriots day each year, and the Red Sox traditional host an early start home game at 11:05AM, this year hosting the Baltimore Orioles into town. Patriots Day is celebrated to signify and honor the Battles of Lexington and Concord fought on April 19th in 1775. The state of Wisconsin has been celebrating Patriots day on the third Monday in April for some time now as well, and the state of Connecticut is also observing Patriots Day starting in 2018. Florida Law now encourages residents to observe the Holiday, though it is not yet an official Holiday there. It is an observed Holiday for many New England colleges and Universities, along with public schools often starting their spring break week starting on Patriots Day. If you are heading to Boston this year for the Patriots Day festivities and to see the Boston Marathon in person or to take in the Red Sox early start game, there are showers expected with a high of 50 degrees and a low of 44 predicted. Think Spring everyone! And good luck to those of you in the 20% of Americans reading this, who are working to get their taxes in on time this year! Make it a great week!