Filing Deadline and Payment Options

If you’re trying to beat the tax deadline, there are several options for last-minute help. If you need a form or publication, you can download copies from the Forms page on our website. If you find you need more time to finish your return, you can get a six-month extension of time to file using Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. And if you have trouble paying your tax bill, the IRS has several payment options available.

You can get an automatic extension of time to file by using IRS e-filing options — by phone or personal computer, or through an authorized e-file tax professional — or by paying part or all of any estimated amount of tax due using a credit card. You can pay your tax using a credit card either by phone or over the Internet. You can also get an extension by mailing a paper Form 4868 to the IRS.

The extension will give you extra time to get the paperwork to the IRS, but it does not extend the time you have to pay any tax due. You have to make an accurate estimate of any tax due when you request an extension. You can also send a payment for the expected balance due, but this is not required to get the extension. However, you will owe interest on any amounts not paid by the April 15 deadline, plus a late payment penalty if you have paid less than 90 percent of your total tax by that date.