The Internal Revenue Service opened the 2012 tax season on Wednesday by extending the tax-filing deadline until April 17.

Doug Shulman

Taxpayers will have until Tuesday, April 17 to file their 2011 tax returns and pay any tax due because April 15 falls on a Sunday, and Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia, falls this year on Monday, April 16. According to federal law, District of Columbia holidays affect tax deadlines in the same way that federal holidays do, giving all taxpayers two extra days to file this year. Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Oct. 15 to file their 2011 tax returns. The IRS will begin accepting e-file and Free File returns on Jan. 17, 2012.

The IRS also announced a number of improvements to help make this tax season easier for taxpayers. This includes new navigation features and helpful information on IRS.gov and a new pilot program to allow taxpayers to use interactive video to get help with tax issues.

The IRS is conducting a limited rollout of its new videoconferencing technology at 10 IRS offices and two other sites, and may expand to further sites in the future. A list of locations is available on IRS.gov. Perhaps not coincidentally, H&R Block also introduced a videoconferencing service this tax season (see Block Intros Videoconference Tax Prep Service).

The IRS has updated the front page of the IRS Web site to make it easier for taxpayers to get key forms, information and file tax returns. The front page also has links to taxpayer-friendly videos on the IRS YouTube channel. More improvements are planned for IRS.gov in the months ahead.

“At the IRS, we’re working hard to make the process of filing your taxes as quick and easy as possible,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said in a statement. “Providing quality service is one of our top priorities. It not only reduces the burden on taxpayers, but also helps in filing an accurate return right from the start.”

The IRS said it expects to receive more than 144 million individual tax returns this year, with most of those being filed by the April 17 deadline. The IRS also reminded paid tax  preparers they must have and include a Preparer Tax Identification Number on all returns they prepare. All PTINs must be renewed for 2012. Tax preparers can obtain or renew PTINs online here.