Steamboat Springs — Having to write a big check to the Internal Revenue Service is one reason many Steamboat residents waited to the last day to send in their federal and state tax returns.

“I do them as soon as I can, but it always ends up being April 15,” said Emily Dukso of Steamboat Springs.

Dukso said she owed money on her taxes, part of the reason they weren’t sent out sooner.

A number of residents made their way to the post office Monday to send off their taxes.

“There’s been a line out the door all day,” said Ken Gibbon of the Steamboat Springs Post Office. He said the volume of customers has been increased 50 to 75 percent. He said despite the crunch to get taxes done, the post office didn’t plan to have longer hours. The hustle to get taxes turned in didn’t make too much of a difference to the employees.

“Mondays are always busy,” Gibbon said.

The upbeat attitude of postal workers was contrasted with the serious attitude of residents about to turn their hard-earned money over to the state or federal government.

Nancy Schwanke said she thinks most people wait until the last day because they owe money and it is not something they really look forward to doing. She said extended hours would have been helpful for people working down to the wire to get their taxes done.

Frank Beckwith finished his form to file for an extension at the post office. He said his tax circumstances changed and he will need to redo his taxes.

“I’m just finishing the extension to at least make the deadline,” he said.

Beckwith said he doesn’t always procrastinate until the last day, but wasn’t as excited to file his taxes this year since he’s not getting a very good refund.

Not all people waited until the last minute to send their taxes.

Marissa Reveal said she submitted hers during the first part of April.

“I’m glad we sent them when we did,” she said.

Reveal said doing taxes wasn’t that big of a deal and was looking forward to her refund.

“I’m getting money back. Send it off,” she said.

The worry of tax forms not being received through the mail was prevented by residents who certified the envelopes they sent.

“I certify them to make sure they get them,” said Dukso.

With the use of electronic filing some residents avoided the post office altogether.

Tracy Alexander, an accountant, said she made a trip to the post office to mail one tax return, but electronically filled at least 40 other returns for her clients.

She said she thinks more people should electronically file their taxes because it reduces the chance for human error.

Alexander said errors made while tax returns are being processed could result in an unnecessary audit.