Last-minute tax filers have help

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Apr 16, 2006 | by FROM STAFF REPORTS

Procrastinators waiting until the last minute to do their taxes not only have two extra days to file this year, they have additional help through Monday so they don't miss the April 17 deadline.

The state Franchise Tax Board is supplementing its 24-hour automated help line and Web site with live customer service representatives all day until midnight on Monday. The Internal Revenue Service is offering live help until midnight Monday as well.

And designated post offices around the Bay Area will be open late Monday.

In Oakland, downtown Civic Center and 7th Street main post offices will be open until midnight on Monday. The Allston Way post office in Berkeley will be open until 8 p.m.

The Hayward main post office on Santa Clara St. will be open until 7 p.m. Monday. The Union City post office on Alvarado Niles Road will be open until 11 p.m. on Monday. The Fremont post office on Dusterberry Road will be open until

10 p.m. Monday.

The Pleasanton post office on Black Ave. will be open until

9 p.m. Monday and the San Ramon location on Alcosta Boulevard will be open until

9 p.m.

On the Peninsula, the Redwood City and San Francisco Airport post offices will be open until midnight on Monday.

State Controller and Franchise Tax Board Chairman Steve Westly is urging Californians to file their taxes electronically.

The state's electronic filing system, CalFile, allows residents to file up until midnight on Monday. And taxpayers owed a refund can get money back within five to seven days, compared to six to eight weeks for paper returns.

The state saves $1 in processing costs for every return filed electronically, Westly said in a statement.

E-filing from home computers is more popular than ever, according to the IRS.

As of Thursday, the IRS had received more than 17.6 million returns from computer users, up from last year's total record of 17.1 million e-filed returns.

Live customer service representatives at the state Franchise Tax Board can be reached on Monday from 7 a.m. to midnight at (800) 852- 5711. More information is at http://www.ftb.ca.gov.

More than 11,000 volunteers at 1,800 centers statewide are assisting people who need help with their taxes, according to the Franchise Tax Board.

To reach assistance at the IRS, call (800) 829-1040.