dailyloe.com – The U.S. Postal Service’s ongoing modernization is creating a critical risk for last-minute tax filers who rely on mailed returns. A new federal rule clarifies that the date a tax return is mailed may not match its official postmark date. This discrepancy could cause a timely mailed return to be considered late by the IRS, triggering penalties.
The IRS considers a return filed on time if it is postmarked by the April 15 deadline. Historically, the postmark date was typically the same day an item was mailed. Operational changes at USPS, including reduced pickups and longer travel times to processing centers, are now increasing delays. Mail must reach a regional processing facility to receive its official postmark.
“The core issue is that taxpayers assume the day they drop a return in the mailbox is the day it gets postmarked,” said Joshua Youngblood, an IRS enrolled agent. He stated that this assumption has never been guaranteed but matters more now than ever. A published rule in the Federal Register, effective December 24, formalizes this expectation of increased delays.
The rule states the postmark date does not inherently align with the date the Postal Service first accepts a mailpiece. This is due to reduced collection schedules and the distance mail must travel for processing. Although USPS says it is not changing how mail is postmarked, it added clarifying language to its Domestic Mail Manual.
Taxpayers planning to mail returns close to the deadline face heightened uncertainty. The risk of a delayed postmark applies to both federal and most state income tax returns. Experts strongly recommend considering electronic filing to ensure an immediate and verifiable filing date.[]
Source: CNBC
