Is the tax deadline the date mailed or received

In the United States, the tax deadline is typically considered to be the date that the tax return is postmarked, not the date it is received by the IRS.

According to the IRS, if you file your tax return by mail, the postmark date is considered the filing date. This means that as long as your tax return is properly postmarked by the deadline, it will be considered on time, even if it takes a few days to arrive at the IRS.

Here are some specific guidelines from the IRS:

• If you file your tax return by mail, the postmark date is considered the filing date.
• If you file your tax return electronically, the filing date is the date the return is received by the IRS.
• If you file your tax return by hand-delivery or in-person, the filing date is the date it is received by the IRS.

It's worth noting that if you're filing a tax extension, the deadline is typically October 15th, and the postmark date applies to that as well.

To be extra safe, it's always a good idea to keep a record of the postmark date and the date you mailed your tax return, in case there's an issue with the IRS processing your return.