Extensions

I will be filing my state and federal extensions soon. I have to file this prior to April 17th. I presently am living in the UK and will be mailing my returns to the US.

My question is - Do my returns have to be received by April 17th? Or do I just have to have it mailed by/on April 17th? Do they go by the postmark on the envelope on the return - ie. the postmark has to show that I have mailed it prior or on April 17th (even if I live in the UK?)

The reason that I want to go by the April 17th date, is that I want to avoid penalties as I OWE taxes.

Thanks....

Postmarked by April 17th.  If you have some reason to doubt the timely delivery, you should pay extra for proof of posting date.  Further, write across the top "Taxpayer Abroad", and you're covered under the 15 June 2006 deadline for filing extensions.  The 15 June deadline is for filing the extensions, not for paying the tax, so yes, you'll want to post your cheque 17 April - but you'll no longer have to worry that the extension "might not get there in time".

Thank you Liz!!

So it just has to be postmarked April 17th, not be there by April 17th?


And I would write "Taxpayer abroad" at the top of the extensions themselves?

Thank you for your help!!

Yup.