With tax season coming to a close, the IRS estimates that asmany as 25 percent of Mississippians have been filing their taxesduring the final two weeks before Tuesday’s deadline.

Postal officials report that Brookhaven is no different.

While some post offices traditionally stay open late on tax day,Brookhaven Post Office officials said they will not stay open pasttheir normal closing times on Monday or Tuesday.

“There may be offices in Jackson that are open later,” saidKeith Rushing, manager of the Brookhaven Post Office’s west branch.”More than likely their main office downtown. But we’ll be openuntil our usual times.”

The downtown branch of the Brookhaven Post Office is open until5 p.m., and the satellite branches close at 4:30 p.m.

Rushing did say, however, that the volume of mail has gone upconsiderably in the last weeks of tax season, as area residentshave been flooding the post office trying to get their forms in themail.

“I can’t give you a percentage, but I think everyone waits untilthe last minute,” he said. “The windows are definitely a lot busierthis time of year.”

The last day of tax season, which usually falls on April 15, hasbeen moved to April 17 this year, as the 15th falls on a Sunday andMonday is Emancipation Day, which is a legal holiday in theDistrict of Columbia.

The problem for many is finding the time to either fill out theforms themselves or to be able to get off work to go to anaccountant’s office to get them done.

IRS spokesman Mark Green said in a release that e-filing is aviable alternative to trying to get to a tax office Monday orTuesday.

“If you haven’t filed your tax return yet, I encourage you toe-file,” said Green. “E-filing is fast and accurate. You getconfirmation that the IRS has received your return.”

For those who can’t quite squeak out their return and get itmailed by April 17, there is still the option of requesting anextension, although the extension request must be mailed or e-filedno later than April 17 as well. This gives the taxpayer six moremonths to file.

The necessary forms for filing taxes or an extension areavailable through a local tax office, or from the IRS Web site atwww.irs.gov, under the “Forms and Publications” link.