SAN ANTONIO, TX — This year, Monday, April 18, 2011, is the deadline for mailing federal tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service. The San Antonio General Mail Facility (GMF), located at 10410 Perrin Beitel Rd., will be the only area postal facility accepting last minute tax returns until 12 midnight.

Postmaster Steven Hernández reminds mailers: “As usual, we are planning for the heavy traffic flow, and our staff will be ready. However, to avoid the traffic congestion, customers can mail their tax returns or extension requests early in the day at any of the post offices, stations, or branches, during normal operating hours, or collection boxes in the San Antonio area. Make sure to check the pick-up schedule on the box to ensure your mail will be collected and postmarked by the deadline.”

For last minute tax filers, Postal employees at the San Antonio GMF will be stationed on both sides of Perrin Beitel Road until midnight to collect tax returns, allowing mailers to travel from the North or from the South. The GMF retail lobby will close at 5:30 p.m. Customers are reminded that SAPD will only allow vehicles traveling North on Perrin Beitel to turn into the GMF parking lot for lobby access, due to the anticipated traffic congestion.

Customers can purchase stamps and certify their IRS mail any time, day or night, at one of San Antonio’s eight Automated Postal Centers (APCs), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however, they must deposit their IRS mail at one of the mail receptacles as instructed above to meet the April 18 deadline. APCs are located in the following Post Office lobbies:

Alamo Heights, 4801 Broadway Leon Valley, 6825 Huebner Rd

Cedar Elm, 5837 De Zavala Lockhill, 12951 Huebner Rd

Encino Park, 20403 Encino Ledge STMC, 4835 Medical Dr

Heritage, 702 Richland Hills Thousand Oaks, 15610 Henderson Pass

All collection boxes have final collection times posted, and customers should look before depositing their IRS tax return. Mail will not be collected after the posted time.

SPECIAL NOTE: Due to aviation security requirements, if a tax return weighs 13 ounces or more, and bears stamps for postage, it must be presented in person to a post office and accepted by a retail acceptance clerk at the window during normal hours. Best recommendation: Mail as early in the day as possible and be sure to have proper postage affixed. The IRS will not accept items that lack the proper postage and are postage due. It will be returned for the additional postage.

Postal Tips To Help Tax Return Mailers Include:

• Use First-Class postage and double-check the weight. If the return is heavier than an ounce or in an oversized envelope, it will require additional postage beyond the First-Class one-ounce 44 cent rate.
• Write clearly. Handwritten envelopes should be legible and always include your return address.
• Use Certified Mail™ with a Return Receipt if mailing original receipts.

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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 tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $67 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.