Experts Discuss Best Ways to File Taxes at the Last Minute

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)- The deadline to file your state and federal taxes is tomorrow, April 18, 2017. If you have not filed yours yet. Experts say you are not alone.

“45 million taxpayers wait until April to file,”began local H & R Block Ofiice Manager Gina Falletta.  “A lot of times people have life changes. Whether they have a baby, a house or some people do itemizing and some people don’t know how to file or which status is best for them. A lot of times people wait because they are not really sure what they need. So they should come in and see us so we can walk them through that process and help them with that,” said Falletta.

Professionals say the degree of difficulty for filers varies by individual circumstance.

“It just depends. I mean I think if you have a simple return with not a lot of things going on and you feel comfortable with technology, it really is easy to do it online,”said Dr. Donna Bobek Schmitt of USC’s Darla Moore School of Business.

If you haven’t looked at any of your paperwork yet, experts say filing an extension may be your best bet. “The great news is they don’t have to get it done by tomorrow. What they do have to do by tomorrow if they don’t have time to do their taxes is they need to file an extension and they need to file an extension with the federal government and South Carolina. It’s really easy to do. It’s a really short form. You can just mail it in by tomorrow and you’ll be done,” said Bobek Schmitt.

Electronic returns should be filed by 11:59 p.M. Tuesday night. If you are submitting your taxes in the mail, it must be postmarked by the 18th.