ST. LOUIS — Normally, April 15 is Tax Day. But the April 15 deadline has been extended to Monday, April 18 in 2022.
The extension comes because Washington, D.C. is observing DC Emancipation Day on April 15, celebrating the freedom of slaves from the nation’s capital. DC Emancipation Day is celebrated April 16.
Federal employees, including those at the IRS, get the day off. But the tax deadline looms, nevertheless.
Markeisha Logan calls herself The Accounting Queen. Logan is an enrolled agent, a federally authorized tax practitioner who can represent taxpayers before the IRS.
She said if you owe a tax liability, then you need to pay your taxes or file by April 18. If you don’t, then you should file an extension. If you don’t file an extension, then the IRS will charge you a failure to file penalty.
“So, we get an extra weekend to drive me crazy,” said Logan, laughing, “and either get your taxes filed on Monday the 18th or get an extension by the 18th. I am that busy. I’m like super busy. I’m like working 12-hour days. Nonstop.”
Logan said the key to a stress-free tax deadline is good planning. By that she means good bookkeeping – not waiting until tax season to get records and receipts together. She said keeping track of documents throughout the year will make tax season a breeze.
Anyone who does file for a tax extension will have until Oct. 17 to submit their taxes. Extensions must be filed by April 18. Extensions can be filed through the IRS website.
In January, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that some Illinoisans would have until May 16 to file their individual and business taxes after tornadoes affected several Illinois counties in December 2021.
The filing delay is available for the following Illinois counties: Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike and Shelby. For more information, click here.