You might have thought that your federal income tax returns were due next Monday. Usually when April 15th falls on a weekend, the income tax filing deadline is pushed to the following Monday. When the deadline falls on a federal holiday, it’s pushed to the next business day. This time around, April 15 falls on a Sunday and yet your taxes are not due until April 17th. Why?
April 16th is Emancipation Day which is a holiday in Washington, D.C. Emancipation Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act by President Lincoln in 1862, which freed the slaves in the District of Columbia.
It’s been an official public holiday in D.C. since 2005.
