Taxes due by midnight Monday

The taxman cometh three days later this year, which means it’s not too late for procrastinators to file.

Taxpayers have until midnight Monday to submit their 2010 taxes, thanks to the commemoration last Friday of an obscure holiday, Emancipation Day, in the District of Columbia.

The holiday marks the day President Abraham Lincoln signed an act freeing about 3,000 slaves in the District of Columbia, a year after the Civil War began. The holiday, normally celebrated on April 16, fell on a Saturday, so it was observed in D.C. on Friday, which by law postpones the tax deadline to the next business day.

And if today isn’t enough time, you can still file for an extension before midnight, making your new date with government bean counters Oct. 17. Note: If you owe Uncle Sam money, you still need to pay today or face penalties.