Late tax filers must wait longer for rebates

[unhappycamper]

Late tax filers must wait longer for rebates
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, February 9, 2008

WASHINGTON — Overseas troops who wait to file their taxes will have to wait for their stimulus rebate checks, too.

Under legislation passed Thursday by Congress, most taxpayers could see checks of $600 per person and $300 per dependent child as part of a larger effort to help stimulate the economy.

Treasury Department officials said the first checks could be sent out as early as May, but that the amount and timing of the rebate will be based on tax returns filed this year.

So individuals who get an extension past the April 15 tax deadline will have to wait longer before seeing their rebates, according to department spokesman Andrew DeSouza.

Under current Internal Revenue Service rules, U.S. citizens living abroad and military personnel stationed overseas are allowed an automatic filing extension to June 15. So troops who wait until June to file their tax returns could wait until late summer or early fall before seeing the payouts.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52317