LITTLE ROCK — Millions of Americans wait until the last minute to file their tax returns. This year is no different. Filers have until 12:00 Midnight on Thursday, April 15, 2010 to drop off their completed returns. To accommodate last-minute filers in the Central Arkansas area, the Processing & Distribution Center located at 4700 E McCain, North Little Rock, AR will be open until 12:00 midnight on Thursday, April 15.

Postmaster Gregg Tolliver is urging customers to be aware of this location and to use this site for their convenience, if at all possible.

“Customers can drop returns at the Processing & Distribution Center location until 12:00 midnight. This collection location provides added convenience for our customers, along with the assurance that mail dropped at this site will receive an April 15 postmark. Although the deadline is Thursday, April 15, customers are urged to drop off returns as early as possible,” says Tolliver.

The Postal Service offers the following advice to tax filers:

• Use First-Class postage.
• Use pre-addressed labels where possible. Write clearly. Take special care to ensure that handwritten envelopes are legible, and include a return address.
• Affix sufficient postage. One ounce is 44 cents; every additional ounce up to 13 ounces costs an additional 17 cents per ounce.
• Double-check postage. Weigh any return that feels heavier than one ounce. Tax agencies do not accept postage due mail; tax returns bearing insufficient postage will be returned – meaning taxpayers may be penalized for filing late tax returns.
• Avoid the mad rush at the post office. Mail returns in local collection boxes, but remember to make certain that the posted pick-up time has not passed to ensure returns will have an April 15 postmark.
• For customers who send original receipts to tax agencies, registered mail is a good choice.
• Make certain bulky envelopes are securely sealed.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.