PAY UP!: LAST-MINUTE INCOME TAX FILERS ARE FACING THURSDAY DEADLINE

Almost one million Missourians have waited until the final two days to place their income tax returns in the mail.

"There are a lot of people out there who wait until the last minute," said Paul Kipper, manager of the Internal Revenue Service office in Cape Girardeau. "As of last weekend a total of 1,458,527 Missourians had filed their taxes, with 270,446 of them using the electronic filing system."

Going into today, however, a total of about 900.000 Missourians still had not filed, said Noval L. Felton, public affairs officer with the Missouri District Internal Revenue Service office at St. Louis.

"That translates into more than a third of the state's usual two-million-plus returns," said Felton. "But a lot of people will put their returns into the mail today."

"Thursday is deadline day for most Americans to file their annual income tax reports," said Kipper. "Some people will have extensions."

Officials said about one-fifth of Missourians request extensions each year.

Even with the extensions, there are interest charges on any taxes paid after April 15, officials said. To keep these charges as low as possible, the IRS advises taxpayers to pay as much as they can as soon as they can. A year ago Missourians filed 47,000 automatic extensions. This year, the IRS expects more than 58,000 extensions.

Lee Kimmel, district manager of H&R Block tax service, 1471 N. Kingshighway, is prepared for big days today and Thursday.

"Last year we were busy until 10 p.m. the day before the deadline and until midnight on deadline day," said Kimmel. "We expect to be busy the next two days."

Meanwhile, the Post Office in Cape Girardeau is preparing for final-day mailings Thursday until midnight.

"We've never had any big problems here," said Postmaster Mike Keefe. "We make sure that stamp-vending machines are full, and all returns mailed here by midnight will get the April 15 postmark.

"The postmark is the thing," said Keefe. "As long as the envelope is postmarked, it doesn't matter when the taxes reach the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS is going to look at the postmark."

Keefe will be at the post office until midnight.

"I always come down during the final night for filing, and observe the proceedings of taking mail from the outside boxes and watching the cancellation of the mail," he said. "We make sure all returns that are in at midnight are postmarked April 15."

Keefe emphasized that the only boxes that will be picked up at midnight are those at the Post Office at 329 N. Frederick, and at the new mail processing center in West Park Business Park.

"We'll keep the Post Office windows open until 8 p.m. Thursday," said Keefe. IRS tax representatives will be in the lobby of the post office, 320 N. Frederick, from 5 to 8 p.m.

"State and federal representatives will be available to answer last-minute tax questions," said Kipper. "They will also have forms to request an extension of time to file 1991 returns.

"However, we will not prepare any tax returns at the Post Office," he said.

Taxpayers filing paper returns can expect an eight-to-10-week wait for refunds, said Kipper. He said it is not too late to file federal tax returns electronically. "In fact, you can file electronically through April 15 and still receive your refund within three weeks," he said.

Kipper stressed two factors for all income tax filers: "Check your math and sign your tax forms."

"An income tax form is not considered complete until it is signed," said Felton.