By Suzanne Kubota
Senior Internet Editor
FederalNewsRadio.com

The clock is ticking. April 15th and it’s getting closer to the midnight deadline for filing taxes.

We’ll cut to the quick and give you reminders and selected comments from Ed Zurndorfer, registered employee benefit consultant, for last minute tax filing.

Do not miss the April 15th deadline.

If you’re not going to submit the return, “submit your extension to file” along with a check. The extension means you can file your taxes “anytime between now and October 15th, 2010. You get a six month extension.”

File electronically

“Probably the safest way” to file for an extension or return, said Zurndorfer, because “you know the IRS will get any money due because you’re going to have to provide a bank account routing transit number and account number” for the money to come out of. There’s an advantage to filing this way even if you don’t owe money. Refunds take only about half the time of a paper return.

Most common errors (Don’t do these)

• Incorrect Social Security number for dependents
• Not signing the tax return (when sent via paper)
• Missing forms – “The IRS will throw it back” and require resubmission.

If you don’t have the money

“Use a credit card,” said Zurndorfer. “And the advantage there is that it will be paid and instead of owing the IRS money, you owe your bank and settle with them, and usually that bill won’t come due until May so you have a few more weeks.”

Zurndorfer notes that “credit card payments may also be made by phone or internet through two credit card service providers: (1) Link2Gov Corporation (1-888-658-5465, http://www.pay1040.com); or (2) Official Payments Corporation (1-800-272-9829, http://www.officialpayments.com).”

Information about the IRS’ Free File program may be obtained at http://www.irs.gov/efile.

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