Last-Minute Tax Tips

With Monday’s tax filing deadline looming, here some hints for those who have not filed yet:

FORMS

It’s probably too late to request them from the Internal Revenue Service, but federal and state tax forms are usually available at libraries and post offices. If the form you need is not there, a tax preparer might provide you with one. Or you could buy a 1996 tax guide with forms. Take care to note that not all guides include forms and a few that do don’t have forms that are acceptable to the IRS. Which ones have IRS-approved forms? “Ernst & Young Tax Guide,” which retails for $14.95, includes about 80-pages worth. “J.K. Lasser’s Your Income Tax,” which sells for $14, has roughly 50 pages of IRS-approved forms.

This year you can also download forms on-line by dialing up either the irs or franchise tax board’s web sites. The web address for federal forms and information is https:www.ustreas.gov. The state tax address is https:www.ftb.ca.gov. Both web sites also offer basic tax help, such as answers to commonly asked questions.

FOR HELP

The IRS tax help hotline is (800) TAX-1040. It is staffed from 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on weekdays. However, it will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, and until 7:30 p.m. on April 15. Plan on calling early and often. Lines are inundated at this time of year.

TO DELAY FILING

To legally delay filing, complete a Form 4868, which is a request for an automatic extension. It gives you four more months to fill out the federal paperwork, but if you owe taxes, you are expected to send a check with the extension form by Monday.

Automated answers to state tax questions are available 24-hours at (800) 338-0505. If you need a human, call (800) 852-5711. The staffed line operates from 7 A.M. TO 8 P.M. dUring the week, but will also be open this saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To procrastinate with your state taxes, you don’t even need to send in a form. All you need to do is make sure that you’ve paid up all you owe by April 15. Then simply fill out and send in the state tax forms by Oct. 15.

POST OFFICES

More than 40 Southern California post offices will be open until midnight Monday. To find one near you, call the postal hotline at (818) 778-1800. Additionally, IRS employees will be available at six Los Angeles-area locations to hand out tax forms and offer basic advice. Those locations: 5800 W. Century Blvd., Westchester; 900 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles; 7101 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles; 15701 Sherman Way, Van Nuys; 15421 Gale Ave., City of Industry; 41 Wheeler Ave., Arcadia