Because April 15 falls on a Sunday this year and April 16 is Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington, D.C., the federal tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 17, 2007. Of the 136 million total federal returns the IRS expects to receive this year, approximately 40% will be sent via the mail. The Richmond District Post Offices listed below are providing extended retail hours or lobby assistance, as well as mail collection, on Tuesday, April 17. This will ensure last minute federal tax filers receive the April 17 postmark on their returns. Customers can also call 1-800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777) for the nearest Post Office with extended retail and collection service.

Hampton Roads area:

EXTENDED RETAIL SERVICE HOURS & COLLECTION SERVICE AS NOTED

Virginia Beach Main Post Office/Lynnhaven Station, 501 Viking Dr. Retail service until
8 p.m., employees will be collecting mail outside until 8 p.m.
Williamsburg Main Post Office, 425 N. Boundary St. Retail service until 8 p.m., last mail collection from inside and outside boxes at 8 p.m.

NORMAL RETAIL SERVICE HOURS & EXTENDED COLLECTION SERVICE

Chesapeake Main Post Office, 1425 N. Battlefield Blvd. Normal retail service until 6:30 p.m., employees will be collecting mail outside until 8 p.m. Assistance will be available in the lobby until 8 p.m. to weigh mail and keep stamp vending equipment and the Automated Postal Center (APC) operating efficiently.
Hampton Main Post Office, 809 Aberdeen Rd. Normal retail service until 7 p.m., employees will be collecting mail outside until 7 p.m.
Norfolk Main Post Office, 600 Church St. Normal retail service until 6 p.m., employees will be collecting mail outside until midnight. Assistance will be available in the lobby until midnight to weigh mail and keep stamp vending equipment operating efficiently.
Monticello Station (Williamsburg), 5219 Monticello Ave. Normal retail service until 6 p.m., last mail collection from inside and outside boxes at 6 p.m.

Richmond and areas north and west of Richmond:

EXTENDED RETAIL SERVICE HOURS & COLLECTION SERVICE AS NOTED

Richmond Main Post Office, 1801 Brook Rd. Retail service until 8 p.m., employees will be collecting mail outside until midnight. Assistance will be available in the lobby until midnight to weigh mail and keep stamp vending equipment and Automated Postal Center (APC) operating efficiently
Charlottesville Main Post Office, 1155 Seminole Trl. Retail service until 7 p.m., employees will be collecting mail outside until midnight. Assistance will be available in the lobby until midnight to weigh mail and keep stamp vending equipment and APC operating efficiently.
Fredericksburg Main Post Office, 600 Princess Ann St. Normal retail service until 5 p.m., last mail collection from outside boxes at 5:30 p.m.

Customers are encouraged to mail their tax returns as early in the day as possible, and postal officials suggest customers weigh their returns or extension requests on a postal scale to calculate the proper amount of postage. This is especially true if a customer is filing extra forms or schedules. Tax agencies will NOT pay postage due, so short-paid filings will be returned to the sender for additional postage.

Customers mailing tax deadline packages weighing 16 ounces or more, and bearing postage in the form of postage stamps must mail these packages at a postal retail window. Tax filers should double-check the pickup schedule if they elect to use a street side collection box to ensure their tax documents will be collected and postmarked before the deadline. Every tax filing will receive an official April 17 postmark if it is properly prepared and deposited by the designated cutoff time.

Per the IRS website (www.irs.gov) ..."Other than direct proof of actual delivery, a registered or certified mail receipt is the only prima facie evidence of delivery of a document to the agency or office with which the document is required to be filed. No other evidence of a postmark or mailing will be prima facie evidence of delivery or raise a presumption that the document was delivered."

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to cover its operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.