Filing an Income Tax Extension
If you aren't able to complete your federal tax return by the filing deadline, find out how and when to file for an IRS extension with these tips from TurboTax.
Key Takeaways
- If you’re unable to complete your federal tax return by the tax deadline, you can file an extension with the IRS to avoid potential failure-to-file penalties.
- Filing an extension will give you six additional months to complete your return.
- Extending your filing deadline does not change the deadline for payment of any tax that is due. If you think you owe, estimate the amount and pay it by the April tax return filing due date.
- Any refund due to you will not be processed until you have completed your tax filing.
When a significant natural disaster hits – such as a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, flood, wildfire, blizzard, or the like – the IRS will extend upcoming federal tax deadlines for affected taxpayers if a federal disaster is declared. The extended due dates apply to most federal tax returns and payments, including those for income taxes (including estimated tax payments), payroll taxes, and excise taxes. If you’re impacted by a natural disaster, check our IRS Disaster Relief page to see if you qualify for an automatic tax filing or payment extension.
Need more time to file your 2024 tax return?
Before filing for an IRS tax extension, make sure it’s right for you. Here are a few common reasons why you may need to push your deadline back:
- more time needed to track down missing tax documents
- unexpected life event
- life’s been too busy
If you find yourself unable to complete your 2024 federal tax return by the tax deadline, you’ll first need to file an extension with the IRS to avoid potential late-filing penalties. Filing an extension will allow you to push your deadline to October 15, 2024.
It’s important to keep in mind an extension only pushes back the due date for the filing of your tax documents. It does not give you extra time to pay any taxes you may owe. If you believe you will owe money this year, you’ll need to estimate the amount after filing for an extension and make a payment by the April filing deadline.
Easy options for filing an extension
Option 1: E-file your federal tax extension in minutes with TurboTax Easy Extension
Using TurboTax Easy Extension, you can:
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- E-file your federal extension
- make a payment of any tax due directly from your checking or savings account
- print a PDF copy of your e-filed extension
- receive notifications when your extension has been accepted by the IRS
- get easy instructions on how to file a state extension by mail
Note: Once your extension is approved, you’ll have until October 15, 2024, to file your return. If you’re expecting a refund, it will not be processed until once you have completed your tax filing. If you think you owe, the estimated amount of taxes due will need to be paid to the IRS by the April tax return filing due date.
Option 2: Print and mail your completed IRS extension form
If you’d rather mail your extension directly to the IRS, simply refer to IRS Form 4868: Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, complete and print the form, and send it to the IRS address for your state.
If you owe federal taxes, include your estimated payment with your Form 4868 and mail it—postmarked by April 15, 2025 to avoid any penalties or interest. Then complete and file your return on or before October 15, 2024.
TurboTax Tip:
You can e-file your federal tax extension in minutes with TurboTax Easy Extension. Otherwise, you can complete and file IRS Form 4868: Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
Do you need to request a state tax extension?
State tax extension guidelines vary. To see detailed information about state extension filing deadlines and mailing addresses, select your state of interest from this state tax authority's website.
Remember, TurboTax Easy Extension can help you access the tax forms you need to file your state extension by mail.
Need to use a credit card to pay taxes owed?
If you've e-filed or mailed Form 4868 and need to pay by credit card, you can use one of several IRS approved Electronic Payment Methods. You can pay with your debit or credit card online or by phone. File your complete return by October 15, 2024.
Cautions
- If the IRS thinks your estimate of the amount of tax you owe is unreasonable, it may disallow your extension and assess a late-filing penalty.
- If you underestimate the amount of tax you owe, you'll likely have to pay interest and perhaps penalty on whatever amount you fail to pay by the original filing deadline.
- If you pay less than 90% of the tax you owe, you'll end up owing a penalty of 0.5% of the underpayment every month until you pay the remaining balance. For example, if you pay $600 by the original filing deadline, but discover when you complete your return that you really owe $1,000, you will usually owe 0.5% per month on the $400 that is overdue, or about $2 a month, until you pay the full amount owed.
If you live outside the United States
If you live outside the United States, you may be able to get an extension by filing IRS Form 2350: Application for Extension of Time to File U.S. Income Tax Return if you believe you will qualify for special tax treatment. See IRS Publication 54: Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad to confirm if this form might help you.
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