Taxing Times

Returns mailed to IRS on the rise

CAROL STREAM, IL — The Internal Revenue Service believes 59 million federal tax returns will be mailed this year. That’s 43 percent of all individual returns.

Though more returns are filed electronically than in hard copy, mailed returns are still expected to be up 3 percent over last year. Why? Because more Americans are expected to file tax returns this year.

Taxpayers must submit a return in order to take advantage of the national Stimulus Payment, or rebate program. So, low-income Americans not required to file returns will file this year in order to qualify for their rebates.

“The most common mistakes Americans make in mailing their forms are not including enough postage and providing the correct IRS mailing address,” said Postal Service spokesman Tim Ratliff for the Northern Illinois District. “After the first ounce—which usually covers about four, letter-sized sheets—mailers need to add 17 cents for each additional ounce.”

Haven’t sent your taxes in? You’re not alone. Typically, 20 percent of all Americans wait until the last week to file their returns. To help with last minute procrastinators, Northern Illinois Post Offices offer these services:

The following Post Offices have regular
Full Window Services until 7 PM

Addison                        Algonquin East Branch               Bloomingdale                 Buffalo Grove
Carol Stream                 Elgin                                         Elgin West Side             Fox River Grove
Glen Ellyn                     Hillside                                      Lombard                        Lombard Yorktown
Mt Prospect                 Northlake                                  Oak Park                      Park Ridge
Prospect Heights           Rockford / Loves Park                Rockford Main               Roselle
Schaumburg                  Villa Park                                  Westchester                  Wheaton
Wheaton-Danada           Wood Dale                                Woodfield Station           Woodstock

The following Post Office will be offering Full Window Services
until 7 PM, 7:30 PM, and 8 PM on April 15

Crystal Lake (7:30 PM) Evanston (8 PM) Northbrook (7 PM)

On April 15, mail will be collected at 11:59 p.m. from collection box locations outside the Post Office and postmarked with the April 15 cancellation.

Buffalo Grove                 Crystal Lake                              Des Plaines                   Fox Lake
Geneva                         Glen Ellyn Downtown                 Glen Ellyn                     Harvard
Hebron                          Highland Park                            Hoffman Estates            Lake Villa
Lombard                        Loves Park                                Morton Grove                 Oak Park
Ringwood                      Rockford                                   Rockford Broadway        Rockford Downtown
Rockford East                Rockford New Towne                  Rockford Kilburn            Schaumburg
Sterling                         Villa Park                                  Wonder Lake

The following Post Offices have an Automated Postal Center Available 24/7*

Algonquin                      Arlington Heights                       Belvidere                       Bloomingdale
Buffalo Grove                 Carol Stream                             Cary                             Crystal Lake
Deerfield                        DeKalb                                      Elgin-Westside             Elk Grove Village
Glen Ellyn                     Glenview                                   Gurnee                          Hoffman Estates
Itasca                           Lake Zurich                               McHenry                       Mt. Prospect
Northbrook                    Palatine                                    Prospect Heights           Rockford/Loves Park
Rockford Main               Round Lake                               Roselle                         Schaumburg
Streamwood                  Vernon Hills                               Villa Park                      Wheaton
Wheaton-Danada           Woodfield Station                       Woodstock

* Automated Postal Centers provide many of the products and services available at a Post Office retail window including booklets of First Class stamps, certified mail with return receipt, and delivery confirmation.

For details on services and hours for Northern Illinois District Post Offices,Call 1-800-ASK-USPS (275-8777)

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.