Tax Filing Deadline Is Midnight Tonight

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- If you owe Uncle Sam, or just never got around to filing your tax returns, you have until Monday night at 11:59 p.m.

The deadline was extended because of the  Emancipation Day holiday in D.C. It was observed Friday, closing IRS offices.

Some 70 percent of Americans this year are filing taxes electronically. Around 30 percent of that group prepared the returns themselves using tax filing software.

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"I don't have to make an appointment.  I can wait till the last minute.  I can do it at home in my pajamas if I want," Justin Eckhouse said.

The Internal Revenue Service said e-filing has grown so much it's now the norm instead of the exception.

"The two main benefits for filing electronically are that the software will save your information year to year, and you're much more likely to get your return faster," said Jessica Dolcourt, CNET Senior Associate Editor.

If your income is less than $58,000, you can take advantage of free file options, accessible through the IRS website.

"All you do is answer the interview-type questions, and the software will populate the correct IRS forms, and pretty much you just hit a button and you're done," said Mary Beth Franklin, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Sr. Editor.

However, tax experts advise there are limits as to what you should do by yourself.

"Maybe you have a small business on the side.  Maybe you have stock options.  Maybe you have a big investment portfolio or rental income.  That's getting into some pretty complicated stuff and frankly, you probably need help," Franklin said.

If you can't get a professional preparer before the deadline late tonight, you can file for an extension until October 17. Even with that, you are still required to send in an estimated amount of what you will owe.

Will you need an extension? Do you file electronically? Should the tax code be changed? Leave a comment below.