Using direct debit to pay your owed income taxes

If you specify a direct debit date that falls on or before the mid-April filing deadline, the IRS debits your account within 1 – 4 days after your e-filed return is accepted. The actual debit date may be after the date you specified. In these cases, you won't be charged late payment penalties or interest, as long as you filed before the deadline. More info

On the other hand, if you e-file after the mid-April filing deadline, your direct debit is authorized on the date you e-filed.

Please note that it can take your bank up to five days to complete the transaction and update your account information. We suggest that you wait five days after your e-file is accepted before contacting your bank, if you are concerned that the money hasn't been debited yet.

To verify the date that funds will be withdrawn from your account, confirm that funds have been transferred, or cancel the transaction up to 48 hours before the date you designated the funds to be debited, call the IRS at 1 (888) 353-4537.

Note: Once your e-filed return has been accepted, it's no longer possible to change the bank account that will be debited.

No need to worry; as long as your designated withdrawal date is on or before April 17, 2012 and your e-filed 2011 return has been accepted, you won't be penalized for late payment even if the funds are withdrawn after the payment deadline.

Funds are usually withdrawn on the payment date selected. If that date happens to fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or bank holiday, the payment is usually taken out the next business day.

If you don't have adequate funds available when the IRS debits your account, the transaction will be treated as if you "bounced" a check.

If your payment to the IRS is rejected by the financial institution due to incorrect account information, a closed account, etc., the IRS will send you a notification letter explaining why the payment could not be processed, along with alternative options for making the payment.