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HOST INTRO:
Tuesday is Tax Day. A D.C. area holiday gives filers an extra two days this year.
If you haven’t filed yet, there’s still time. But don’t let the deadline rush get to you. Jason Slotkin reports;

Dennis Wang filed his tax return weeks ago.
But the college senior has spent his spring break filling out other people’s 1040 forms. He oversees a free student run tax service for low-income households. The service is at Baruch College library.

He’s been there for 50 hours this week, along with 175 other student volunteers tabulating deductions and credits, while other classmates are in Florida or Cancun. He says it rewarding.

Dennis Wang
To see a client smile or have a client thanks us is a similar experience. It’s probably a better experience than going to Cancun

Wang says, the students help between 50 to 100 people a day
Even more are coming this week. For those filing their taxes themselves… on deadline. Rushing can lead to errors, rejected applications and late fees.

Dianne Besunder is a spokeswoman for the IRS in New York.
She says most people make really simple mistakes including messing up on basic math.

Dianne Besunder
Be careful. Check those numbers. Do em twice. Make sure everything looks good….People will file a completely correct return and forget to sign it.

Besunder says most mistakes are made on the paper form which require filers to do the math themselves.
She suggest instead to file electronically. It checks the math for you will notify you immediately about whether or not your return has been accepted. Besunder says electronic applications has a less than one percent rate of error.

David Sands is a CPA, whose been working nearly 70 hours this past week.
There are potential deductions, you can miss out on. Some mistakes can warrant a letter from the IRS. Sands says take your time, however long you may need.

David Sands
If you don’t want to spend the time there’s plenty of professionals out there.

Jason Slotkin
Also, filing your taxes…There’s an app for that.
I caught up with Anthony Rivera on the Upper West Side. He filed his taxes with an iPhone app.

AMBI BRIDGE
SOUNDS OF STREET
All he did was fill out the form and snap a picture of it with his phone. Of course, Rivera filed his return months ago. He doesn’t recommend filing your taxes at the last minute

Anthony Rivera
I wouldn’t wait until the last minute. It’s like cramming for a test,. I’d try and get a head start on it.

In summation, best way to to file your taxes. Start Immediately. Jason Slotkin. Columbia Radio News.