Tax Day: Only One Post Office Open Late in Region

Are you over the days when you rushed like mad to the Midway post office 20 minutes before midnight on tax day? You're not alone.

Expect normal business hours at most local post offices Tuesday because thanks to e-filing the days when they were open late for tax day are gone.

This year, only three post offices in the postal district for San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties will have extended hours. The Midway will be the only one in San Diego: It's open until 11 p.m.

Eva Jackson, spokesperson for the tri-county district that also includes parts of Imperial County, said that's because fewer people are mailing in their returns, Jackson said.

"According to the IRS, 77 percent of 143 million individual 2010 tax returns were filed electronically," Jackson told Patch. "So there really isn't as big of a need as there used to be."

Tax returns mailed by Tuesday evening will be postmarked with the April 17 date, according to Jackson.

"This is to accommodate last-minute filers who want the safety and security of sending personal information on tax returns through the U.S. Mail," Jackson said.

Aside from those three stations, all other post office retail lobbies in the district will adhere to normal business hours and tax returns will be postmarked accordingly.

The U.S. Postal Service is poised to lose $21.3 billion annually by 2016 if steps to reduce costs are not taken.

Also for your tax day edification: San Diego ranks as the 9th biggest tax day procrastinator in the country, according to Turbo Tax. Seems California has an issue with delaying the inevitable. San Francisco tops the list, and Los Angeles is in the top 10 too.

And look in the media box if you just have to use paper and pen and you've decided you've run out of time. There are extension forms for the IRS and California.

You only need to file in the state if you owe taxes. The IRS, however, requires the extension form whether you owe them or they owe you.