I suppose you have a point. Of course it would not be feasible to evaluate everyone's extenuating circumstances (who decides where to draw the line between extenuating circumstances and lame excuses?) and grant extensions. Maybe that's part of what you're saying.

So maybe the IRS isn't being compassionate, but pandering shamelessly in the face of tragedy. Even so, I don't begrudge the extension granted to people affected by the VT shootings. They've been through plenty this week without getting castigated by blog commenters for procrastinating on filing their damn taxes.

Human compassion would be extensions for anyone with an extenuating set of circumstances (the storms in the Northeast are a good example), not just the one that can get them the most press.

Life isn't fair. I don't know why the IRS granted 48 hours to one group and 6 months to another. All I know is that the some people IRS - a branch of the federal government - showed human compassion (albeit at varying degrees), and I think that's refreshing in this era of computerized voice recognition and form letters.

If you're child or spouse was shot anywhere else in the country Monday, you're just as upset and you don't get the extension.

And while at it, we should slap the procrastinators who lost a son or a daughter at VT with penalties due to late filings.

Well if we are going that far, why dont we bomb the whole middle east with a few nukes to get rid of all the terrorists.....coll. damage you say ahh who gives a sh*t.

At these moments of sadness, we should be compassionate towards one another regardless of the prior actions/circumstances of the people involved (ie procrastinators that waited till the end who lost someone)

Sure, it's better not to procrastinate -- hell, I felt bad for waiting until March this year. But why are some of you getting into some sort of self-righteous hate-on? How is it your problem if the IRS decides to cut some people a break?

I imagine the majority of people who would be eligible for this extension have already filed. And I bet every single person who's eligible wish like hell that what happened Monday didn't happen. I doubt anyone's chuckling to themselves about how they got over on the IRS.

Maybe not. As for me, this year was typical, and I didn't get accurate 1099's until April 2. Every year, the firm that manages my investments sends out a token 1099 in late December, with this warning:

For owners of CDO, CMO, MACR and REMIC securities, reportable information is not yet available to investors. For reportable information, you will receive a corrected 1099 by April 2, 2007. It may be prudent to file your tax returns after this date."

They are right: in early April they always send a substantially revised 1099 -- different by hundreds of dollars. It would be pretty darn imprudent to file early. For me, I can't do any significant chunk of the work early, since the hardest part is Schedule D, which depends on the revised 1099.

Anyway, I assume there are folks out there like me in the Hokie Nation who only get about 2 weeks to get their act together. They need this extension.

I mean, there are most likely some people at 10pm clicking away at TurboTax, but I have to believe that is an small percentage of the overall population. I guess we shouldn't complain.. maybe?

I'd understand this practice more if the window to prepare and file was a lot shorter, but a couple months'?