Tax Deadline Is Monday; IRS Says Fewer People Have Filed So Far

Tax preparers say it's their version of last-minute Christmas shopping -- the final hours before tax returns are due. Those forms must be in the mail by Monday before midnight.

At Liberty Tax in Brookside, it is down to the wire.

Monday is the last day to file your tax return without a penalty, but you still can file for an extension if you need more time.

The manager here says his office is seeing fewer customers this tax season -- about 5 percent less.

The IRS confirms fewer people have filed so far this year.

That could be because the number of people doing their own taxes is going up, according to the IRS.

People are choosing to file online instead of getting help from an agency or accountant.

The IRS says the self-filling method is growing by about 5 percent every year.

Another theory is that some people don't want to file at all, for fear they'll be penalized because they don't have health insurance.

"There's a lot of people that haven't filed yet,” Liberty Tax Manager Lewis Weatherl said. “I suspect the health care provisions are scaring a few of them, and there's always procrastinators."

Most tax preparation services will be open Monday, including Liberty Tax, from 9 am to at least 7 pm.