CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA– The deadline to file tax returns is rapidly approaching, and the United States Postal Service is reminding last minute mailers to pay close attention to collection box pick-up times and Post Office hours on Tuesday, April 18.
Post Offices in Central Pennsylvania will be open for regular business hours on Tuesday, April 18. The Post Office, Self-Service Kiosks, collection box locations, hours, and pick-up time information is available by phone at 1-800-ASK-USPS or online at the post office’s website.
Here are some tax tips from the USPS:
- On April 18, mail early in the day at any Post Office, station, branch or collection box.
- If depositing returns in a collection box on April 18, double-check the pick-up schedule on the label. To ensure getting the April 18th postmark, deposit returns before the last scheduled pick-up time.
- Stamped packages weighing more than 13 ounces must be presented in person to a Post Office clerk to comply with FAA regulations.
- Affix the appropriate postage, especially since the item may weigh more than an ounce. Have a postal sales and service associate weigh and rate the item for you. Tax agencies will not pay postage due and your short-paid return will be returned to sender – and you may miss the deadline (tip: 5 pages equals approximately one ounce).
- Furthermore, it is very important that your envelope has a return address. Short-paid items without a return address will be sent to the postal mail recovery office for determination of the sender, delaying its return.
- The USPS highly recommends getting the security of proof of mailing and proof of delivery of your tax returns — use certified mail service with a return receipt, plus the applicable postage.
- Tax forms are no longer available at Post Offices. Check at local libraries or online at http://www.irs.gov/ (Federal forms) or http://www.revenue.pa.gov/ (PA forms).
USPS asks that customers remember that mail must be deposited before the last collection time at the post office or collection box on April 18 to receive an April 18th postmark.
