OTHER NEWS - Oct. 17, 1996

IRS to Sanction Private Delivery Firms: U.S. taxpayers will soon be able to use certain private delivery companies, such as Federal Express, to send their returns the day they are due, the agency said. Currently, the Internal Revenue Service recognizes only U.S. postmarks as proof that an individual’s taxes were filed on time. If consumers use a private carrier, such as United Parcel Service, they must check with the agency to make sure their returns arrived on time. Companies seeking the official sanction will have to meet reliability criteria being developed by the IRS. It will hold a public hearing on the issue Dec. 6