5 Last-Minute Tax Tips You Shouldn’t Forget

3. For paper returns, use certified mail to prove when you sent them.
If you wait until the last minute to file, being able to show that you filed on time can be important later on if something happens to your return in the mail. When you use certified mail, you’ll get a receipt with your postmark date on it, and the IRS treats that as proof of your filing as of that date — even if the IRS doesn’t receive the return until days later. Registered mail also works for the IRS, but it’s much more expensive. Of course, filing electronically avoids any chance of a paper return getting lost in the mail.