IRS Is Still Just a Phone Call Away

The Internal Revenue Service will keep its toll-free telephone lines open through this afternoon to help taxpayers rushing to meet the midnight Monday deadline for filing 1989 tax returns.

The IRS said Friday that telephoned tax questions also will be answered into the evening Monday. Numbers to call are listed in the instructions for filling out Forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ.

Taxpayers with touch-tone telephone service may use the IRS Tele-Tax lines 24 hours a day. Tele-Tax is a system of tape-recorded explanations of more than 140 specific topics, including pensions, dependents and the child-care credit. Phone numbers and topics also are listed in the IRS instructions.

The IRS expects one of every five tax returns to be filed next week--23 million out of 111 million due this year. Four of every five returns have been qualifying for refunds.

Those who wait until the final hours to file will have to wait another eight weeks or so before receiving any refund. When a return is filed on time, the IRS is required by law to pay interest on any refund that is not paid within 45 days.