Taxing ritual

The day of an annual rite of spring has arrived: the frenzied dash to the post office before midnight tonight with an income tax return.

It remains to be seen whether a born-again Internal Revenue Service, which has been preaching the gospel of customer service since the passage of last year's reform act, will result in thinning the herd of procrastinators at the post office.

Bill Brunson, IRS spokesman in Phoenix, thinks it will.

"This might be one of the easiest filing periods on record, due to the restructuring format," he said.

On the other hand, he admitted, "There still will be the last minute procrastinators. It's kind of a ritual."

Those who do follow the time-tested ritual of lining up at the post office in the waning hours of April 15 may find the wait more enjoyable, if not shorter.

Taking customer service to the next level, post offices around the country are putting their own stamp on dealing with the stampede of last-minute filers.

In Las Vegas, there will be a party at the James Brown Jr. Mail Facility on Sunset Road near McCarran Airport, the only facility that will have a staff on hand to accept mail until midnight. Three radio stations and four television stations will broadcast live.

Post office spokesman Mike Purcell said at least a dozen security officers -- four from Metro Police and eight or more private guards -- will direct traffic until midnight.

If this year is anything like years past, traffic will back up all the way to Las Vegas Boulevard starting around 5 p.m., Purcell said.

"The IRS is expecting 800,000 returns to be filed in Nevada today," he said. "We carry 60 percent to 65 percent of the mail for Nevada."

Nationwide, about 40 million tax forms will be filed today, the IRS estimates.

The Las Vegas post office won't be the only facility turning a chore into an opportunity for fun.

In Phoenix, a mobile post office will be set up outside Bank One Ballpark so fans won't miss the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A "Cat in the Hat" will take returns in Springfield, Mass., home of the legendary Dr. Seuss.

Producers of the "Got Milk?" ad campaign will conduct auditions at the Laguna Beach, Calif., post office.

The IRS is also doing what it can with its new format to take the pain out of the annual chore, with an emphasis on helping taxpayers, protecting their rights and fulfilling the responsibilities of the IRS.

The local customer service and tax preparation staff has more than doubled in the past few weeks -- a seasonal growth, said Nicki Polson, manager of the walk-in customer service department of the IRS office in Las Vegas.

And business has been steady.

"People are very happy to come here and get tax preparation," Polson said. "There are a lot of customers who just can't hardly believe they're getting that kind of help at the IRS."

Thanks to the customer service mantra, taxpayers also have access to:

* Electronic filing of tax returns not only through tax professionals, but also from home computers using off-the-shelf software. Electronic filing results in a refund in two to three weeks instead of six to seven weeks through regular mail. IRS professionals call it "clip-zip-round-trip."

* Direct deposit of returns.

* A 24-hour phone number, 800-829-1040, they may call to order forms or ask for advice.

* A website, www.irs.ustreas.gov, for last-minute downloading of tax forms.

* A drive-through window at the IRS office at 4750 W. Oakey Blvd., open tonight until 6.

"If you use electronic filing, it increases the accuracy of the return, and the software avoids math errors," Brunson said.

And like many deadlines, the dreaded April 15 one has some give.

"If people don't have all their paperwork together, they can request an extension of up to four months," Brunson said.

That requires Form 4868.

"If you request an extension, there is no penalty within that time frame," he said.

Late filers who owe money may still find themselves paying a late payment penalty of one half of 1 percent per month, unless they enclose a check for what they think they may owe.

On the other hand, the penalty for filing late is 4.5 percent of the tax due, as well as the penalty for late payment.

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