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Tax Day Has Moved For 2017, So Take Note

by Lindsay E. Mack

Waiting in line at the post office, folding laundry, and watching paint dry: these activities seem like a party compared to the task of filing your taxes. As far as boring adult activities are concerned, dealing with anything tax related is especially dreadful. That said, the deadline for this year is drawing near. So when is tax day 2017, anyway?

For what it's worth, this is a good tax year for procrastinators like me. Thanks to a weekend and a holiday, The Balance reported that April 18 is the deadline to file taxes in 2017. If you were sweating to meet the typical April 15 deadline, then you get a little extra breathing room this year.

The reasons for this delay are pretty cool, too. April 15 falls on a Saturday this year, so it's no surprise the date is pushed back through the weekend. But that's not the only reason for the move. According to the DC Emancipation Day website. April 16 is typically recognized in DC as Emancipation Day, but that date falls on a Sunday this year. So thanks to a stroke of good luck, DC Emancipation Day will be celebrated on April 17, according to Public Holidays. Because it's a state holiday in DC, the rest of the country also gets another day to file taxes. Thanks, President Lincoln.

With that in mind, there are still a few things you can keep in mind now to make this year's tax season a little easier. If you're doing your own taxes, then it's usually best to tackle your tax return all in one go instead of dragging out the task over several days, according to The Motley Fool. It should ultimately save you time overall. And, if you make less than $64,000 annually, then you can use the free file software on IRS.gov, according to the organization's website. Filing yourself can probably help save you a couple of bucks. Of course, if your tax situation is especially complicated, or you just cannot be bothered to stare at forms all weekend, then hiring a tax professional is always an option. Whatever the case, hopefully you can get this task out of the way in the next month or so. Then you can have another well-deserved year off from tax filing duty.