Tax Night 2009: Post Offices ready to deliver

If you are still sharpening your pencil to work on federal or state taxes, your local Post Office is ready to help you meet that all important April 15th deadline.

The Post Offices in Albany (Old Karner Road Mail Processing Center) and Utica (Pitcher Street Main Office) will offer window services through midnight for April 15 acceptance of mails.

The Syracuse Main Office (Taft Road Mail Processing Center) will offer window service ends until 9 pm.

There are 11 self-service Automated Postal Centers (APCs) located at these postal facilities in the Postal Service’s Albany District: All provide 24 hour access, unless noted.

• ALBANY — The Karner Road General Mail Facility and Stuyvesant Plaza
• CLIFTON PARK
• GLENS FALLS
• LATHAM
• PLATTSBURGH
• ROME
• SCHENECTADY – New for tax filers this season, the Niskayuna Branch offers an Automated Postal Center available 24 hours daily
• SYRACUSE — Taft Road Main Post Office
  • The APC at the Carousel Center is available during mall hours
• WATERTOWN

Customers can weigh and mail letters and parcels and purchase stamps at the touch of a screen, using debit and credit cards.

Mail placed in a collection box must be deposited before the last collection time at the post office, APC or collection box to receive that date’s postmark. This includes Tax Night, postal officials note.

The Postal Service's Albany District reaches more than 3.5 million postal customers served by 720 Post Offices in an area that stretches from the Massachusetts and Canadian borders west to Waterloo and south to Binghamton and the Southern Tier.

A couple answers from the Postmaster….

I’m done with my taxes! Now, how can I mail them?

The IRS recognizes the First-Class Mail letter postmark as proof that a return has been mailed on time. Other approved mailing options include Express or Priority Mail.

Confirm the address for your taxes, postal officials say. Documents headed to a post office box can only be sent using US Mail. Use the labels provided with your tax forms when provided.

This feels a little heavy. It still goes to the IRS, right?

Be sure to use the proper postage— tax returns bearing insufficient postage will be returned. The Postal Service website, www.usps.com, offers a rate calculator to help you determine the right postage for your documents.

How can I be sure my tax form gets there?

The Postal Service provides several services to help document your tax mailings, such as:

• Certificate of Mailing Service
  You’ll get a receipt as evidence that you mailed your tax return.

• Certified Mail Service
  A Certified Mail receipt proves you mailed your tax return and gives you online access to verify the date and time of delivery.

• Return Receipt
  This receipt verifies both mailing and delivery, returning a postcard to you signed by the person who received your package.

In addition, Delivery Confirmation service will verify the time, date, and ZIP Code to which your return is delivered. This information is accessible with Track & Confirm at www.usps.com. In addition, Delivery Confirmation service will verify the time, date, and ZIP Code to which your return is delivered. This information is easily accessible with the USPS Track & Confirm tool at www.usps.com.

How late is my Post Office open?

Every day, nearly one million Americans visit www.usps.com for information such as, listing the operating hours of the Post Office found in the Post Office Locator feature. Directions, nearby offices and changes, such as extended hours for Tax Night, are included.