WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Internal Revenue Service
kicked off the U.S. tax filing season, announcing on Tuesday
that taxpayers will have until April 18, 2011 to file their
2010 returns and pay their tax bills because of a holiday on
April 15.
The agency also said that it would not be ready to process
returns carrying itemized deductions until mid- to late
February, because it has to reprogram its processing systems
following the passage of a big tax bill at the end of 2010.
April 15 is Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the
District of Columbia. Taxpayers who file extensions will have
until October 17, 2011 to file their 2010 tax returns.
Taxpayers who won't be able to file until mid-February
include those claiming itemized deductions on Schedule A,
higher education deductions on Form 8917, and teachers claiming
their $250 deduction for classroom expenses.
The tax agency has started posting filing information for
the new season on its website, http://www.irs.gov.
(Reporting by Linda Stern; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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