Historically – and Tragically – April 15 is More Than Just Tax Day

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By Ken Zurski

Tax Day, April 15, used to be a big deal.

That’s because years before the internet and e-filing made doing your taxes more convenient, those who owed taxes ostensibly waited until the end of the last day to file their returns.

For some it was symbolic, even if you were due a refund.

So local post offices prepared for the onslaught.

In larger cities smiling postal employees set up a drive through service to allow the so-called “procrastinators” to pull up and simply drop off their returns without even getting out of their vehicles.

But today, because it’s easier to file returns online, the absurdity of dropping tax returns off at the last minute seems pointless.  So the colloquial term Tax Day, or April 15, just doesn’t have the same impact as it did years ago.

But historically, the date of April 15 is known for two tragic events.

More recently, in 2013, the Boston Marathon bombing occurred on April 15. The other is from 1912, ironically a year before there was a federal income tax. In that year, on that fateful April day, an ocean liner, the largest of its kind for the day, sank after striking an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. “A Night to Remember” as author Walter Lord famously put it is his book about the tragedy.

Yes, the sinking of the Titanic was on April 15.

Additionally, President Abraham Lincoln officially died on April 15, 1865 a day after being shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater.

Understandably, because of its significance for all Americans, April 15, is more associated with taxes, than tragedy.  But even the date itself isn’t always ceremonially the last day to file taxes. If the 15th day of April is on a weekend, then the following Monday and Tuesday, either the 16th or 17th, is designated as the national day of filing. And today, if you don’t get your taxes in by the deadline date, just go online and file an automatic extension. Anybody can do it.

So much for a designated Tax Day.

Maybe it’s time to give April 15, the date, back to history:

Remember the Titanic!

Boston Strong!

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