Tax mailing deadline is approaching

Madison Postmaster encourages public to mail early

Madison, WI - The deadline for filing taxes this year is Tuesday, April 15, 2008.  Across the country postal employees are gearing up to provide last-minute relief to millions of taxpayers and procrastinators.

In Madison all the Post Offices will have their normal retail hours on Tuesday, April 15. Customers can call 1-800-ASK-USPS to find the hours at any Post Office.

The lobbies of the Main Post Office at 3902 Milwaukee Street and the Westside Station at 733 Struck Street are open 24-hours a day.  In these lobbies customers will find stamp vending machines and a self-service Automated Postal Center available for last minute filers wanting to weigh envelopes or purchase postage.

The last collection of mail in Madison will be at the main Post Office.  Last minute tax filers can drop their taxes in the boxes on Corporate Drive (if going west on Milwaukee Street Corporate Drive is the first left turn immediately after the Post Office), where drive-through mail boxes are located. The last regular collection at these boxes is at 8 p.m. but on April 15 tax returns dropped off at these boxes will be collected and postmarked until midnight.

For last minute filers, here are some Postal Service mailing tips:

• Use First-Class postage.  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recognizes the inexpensive First-Class letter postmark as proof that a return has been mailed on-time.
• Write clearly and use a return address.  Please make sure handwritten tax return envelopes are legible. 
• Double-check postage.  Weigh any return that feels heavier than one ounce.  Tax agencies do not accept postage due mail; tax returns bearing insufficient postage will be returned – this means taxpayers could be penalized for filing late tax returns.
• Mail returns in local mailboxes and avoid the rush to the Post Office.  But keep in mind that collection boxes have final pick up times; look for the last time posted on the box to ensure returns will have an April 15 postmark.
• Taxpayers are also advised that due to aviation security regulations, all packages weighing 13 ounces or more bearing stamps must be taken to a retail clerk for acceptance.

“We recommend mailing your return as early in the day as possible to avoid the rush,” said Madison Postmaster Paul Nistler.