Once again, USPS will accommodate the parade of people pursuing a postmark proving punctual posting of their tax returns.

The good news, according to the IRS, is that Tax Day is Tuesday, April 17, this year, so you have a couple of extra days to file and mail your taxes. The bad news is that Tax Day, 2012 is fast approaching.

The Postal Service encourages everyone to file or mail their returns soon. All area Post Office retail windows will be open with regular customer service hours. We will not be staying open late.

However, if you absolutely must wait until the last minute, the Cheyenne Main Office at 4800 Converse will accept returns for postmarking only, up to midnight on Apr. 17.

There will be no retail services, but the collection boxes at 4800 Converse only, outside the office and inside the  lobby,  will be available for properly stamped envelopes.

Customers can call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) to find out the regular customer service hours of their local Post Office.

Last year, taxpayers filed more than 234 million income tax returns. Almost one-quarter of those were mailed.

Below are important tax mail tips.
2012 Tax Mail tips:

• Apply the proper postage or stamps, especially if enclosing extra forms and schedules. Using a regular size Number 2 envelope, First Class postage costs 44 cents for the first ounce.
• If you use a larger size envelope, First Class postage is 88 cents for the first ounce.
• For additional ounces, add extra stamps or postage. Before April 17, add 17 cents for each additional ounce. On April 17 and on Tax Day, April 18, due to the postage rate change effective April 17 for additional First Class mail ounces, add 20 cents postage for each additional ounce.
• If you are not sure about the correct postage, it is best to add additional stamps, or take your forms to the Post Office to ensure that correct postage is applied.
• Make sure you print the proper IRS address on the front of the envelope. 
• Print your return address in the upper-left-hand corner of your tax mail envelope.
• Customers who wish certification that their tax mail form is received by IRS, should mail it using Certified Mail Service - available at your local Post Office.
• While encouraged to mail before April 18; if you do wait until late on Tax Day; be sure to drop off your tax mail return at a postal location that offers late tax mail collection or pick-up.
• Customers with IRS tax questions can contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040; or go to www.irs.gov

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.