PA State and Local Tax Also Due on April 18 in 2011

A few weeks ago I shared the good news that the IRS extended the tax deadline to April 18 this year.  If you’re like me, you probably thought, “That’s nice, but two days doesn’t make that much difference so I’ll just have my taxes done by April 15.”  Now that the deadline is fast approaching I’ve been asked by a number of friends and clients if the new deadline also applies to state and local taxes.  The PA Department of Revenue announced some time ago it had also extended the deadline for PA personal income tax returns.  However,  if you check out the homepage on the Lancaster County Tax Collection Bureau’s website you will see they have extended hours on Friday, April 15, but return to normal working hours on Monday, April 18.  They did, however, confirm that taxpayers have until Monday to file individual returns. In addition, taxpayers can now file their Lancaster County returns online.

Despite some information online to the contrary, the instructions for IRS Form 1040-ES lists April 18 as the due date for federal estimated payments as well. Filers who have applied for an extension will also receive a reprieve from the normal October 15 deadline which falls on a Saturday in 2011. Final returns are due on Monday, October 17.

Here are some parting thoughts as you take on the dreaded task of preparing your 2010 tax return.  It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “The only things certain in life are death and taxes.”  I recently read an anonymous quote in response to Franklin’s famous words, “Death and taxes may be certain, but we don’t have to die every year."

**When this article was initially posted I did not include information regarding PA State Estimated Tax payments.  According to the PA Department of Revenue website Pennsylvania 2011 Personal Income Tax Estimated Payments are due on April 15.  Please note this deadline has not been extended until April 18.