TAX TIME: 5 DAYS AND COUNTING

Tax preparers, Internal Revenue Service employees and postal workers will be putting in some extra hours Monday.

That is the final day for placing income tax returns in the mail without penalty, and more than half a million Missourians have waited until the final few days to mail their returns.

"A lot of people will wait until the last minute," said Ruth A. Rothbacher, public-affairs officer with the Missouri district IRS office at St. Louis. About 1.4 million of the state's usual 2-million-plus tax filers have filed.

The final day for filing 1995 taxes is Monday.

Rothbacher is confident that the majority of people will put their returns in the mail before midnight Monday.

"Some people will have extensions," said Rothbacher. "About one-fifth of Missourians request extensions each year."

Even with the extensions, however, there are interest charges on any taxes paid after April 15, Rothbacher pointed out. 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 more than 60,000 automatic extensions.

The Cape Girardeau Post Office is preparing for final-day mailings Monday 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 at midnight. He said workers will ensure that all returns in by that time are postmarked April 15.

"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 at 320 N. Frederick from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

"State and federal representatives will be available to answer last-minute tax questions and pass out forms," said Rothbacher. "They will also have forms to request an extension of time to file 1995 returns.

They will not prepare any tax returns at the post office.

Taxpayers filing paper returns can expect an eight-to-10-week wait for refunds, said IRS officials. They said it is not too late to file federal tax returns electronically.

Rothbacher 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," she emphasized.

Tax preparers are prepared for the final week. Most expect to be busy until late evening each day.

Lee Kimmel will be working late the next few nights. Kimmel, who works out of the Cape Girardeau H&R Block office, is district manager for H&R Block's 26 offices from Farmington to Paragould, Ark.

"The final-week rush has started," said Kimmel. "We're open until 9 p.m. daily. Monday, we won't quit until the last person walks out our door."

More than 50 percent of taxpayers who file with Block file electronically.

Beussink, Hey, Martin and Roe also reported busy days. "We've been urging people to get their returns in early," said a spokesman for the firm.