Every Tax Deadline You Need To Know
Make sure your calendar’s up to date with these tax deadlines, dates, possible extensions and other factors in play for both individuals and businesses in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- Individual income tax returns are typically due April 15, unless the date falls on a weekend or holiday or you file Form 4868 seeking an extension until October 15.
- Independent contractors, gig workers, and self-employed people usually have to make quarterly estimated tax payments are pre-set dates throughout the year.
- Partnerships (including multi-member LLCs) and S-Corps filing deadlines are typically either March 15 unless they operate on a fiscal year. A six-month extension to September 15 (or five months after the original deadline) can be requested using Form 7004.
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.
When are 2024 taxes due?
The due date for filing your tax return is typically April 15 if you’re a calendar year filer. Generally, most individuals are calendar year filers.
For individuals, the last day to file your 2024 taxes without an extension is April 15, 2025, unless extended because of a state holiday. You could have submitted Form 4868 to request an extension to file later during the year.
If you have a business that operates on a fiscal year basis, your return is typically due on or before the 15th day of the third or fourth month (depending on the type of business entity) after the close of your fiscal year. In instances where this due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due date is moved to the next business day.
The last day to do taxes isn’t the only important tax deadline to know, however. There are several other important tax deadlines you should know for 2024. If you're wondering, "When are taxes due, anyway?" Here are the important dates at a glance.
Important Tax Deadlines and Dates
Individual Filers - including employees, retirees, self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and gig workers
- January 15, 2025 - 4th Quarter 2024 estimated tax payment due. If you’re self-employed or have other income without any tax withholding, and you make quarterly estimated tax payments, this is the due date for your final quarterly payment for the 2024 tax year.
- January 29, 2025 (approximately) - 2024 Tax season begins. This marks when the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2024 federal tax returns.
- January 31, 2025 - Due date for employers to send W-2 forms. To ensure you’re able to complete your tax return on time, the IRS requires all employers to send you a W-2 no later than January 31 following the close of the tax year. Generally, this means W-2s get sent by January 31, but you won’t necessarily receive your form by this date.
- January 31, 2025 - Certain 1099 forms are sent. Various 1099 forms, and forms 1099-NEC,1099-MISC, and 1099-K are used to report payments that typically don’t come from an employer, such as if you work as an independent contractor, gig worker, or self-employed person or if you receive income such as interest, dividends, prize winnings, rents, royalties, or brokerage account transactions. If January 31 falls on a weekend or holiday, these forms are due to be sent the following business day.
- February 18, 2025 - Reclaim your exemption from withholding. If you chose to claim an exemption from your employer withholding taxes from your paycheck last year by filing a Form W-4, you’ll need to re-file the form by this date. You would file this exemption request if you anticipate having no tax liability this year and had none in the previous year.
- April 1, 2025 - Required minimum distribution due if you turned 73 in 2024. If you turned 73 in 2024, you have until April 1, 2025, to take your 2024 required minimum distribution (your first required distribution) from your retirement account. After passage of the SECURE Act 2.0 in 2022, if you turned 73 years old on or after 2022, you don’t need to take RMDs until you reach age 73.
- April 15, 2025 - Tax day (unless extended due to local state holiday). The tax deadline typically falls on April 15 each year but can be delayed if it falls on a weekend or holiday. Missing the tax deadline can have consequences like penalties and interest.
- April 15, 2025 - Deadline to File Form 4868 and request an extension. The tax day deadline is also the last day to file Form 4868 requesting an extension to file your individual income tax return. If you won’t be ready to file your tax return by tax day, make sure you instead complete an extension request, granting you the ability to delay filing a completed return until October 15, 2025. But remember, even if you choose to file an extension, you are still required to pay any taxes you may owe by the April deadline.
- April 15, 2025 - Deadline to make IRA and HSA contributions for 2024 tax year. For individual income tax return filers, this also marks the final day to make contributions to your IRA or HSA for the 2024 tax year. After this date, you generally can’t make contributions for the previous tax year.
- April 15, 2025 - First quarter 2025 estimated tax payment due. Making estimated tax payments means that you need to estimate how much income you’re likely to make for the year and determine how much you will owe to the IRS for income taxes. You can use IRS Form 1040-ES to calculate how much tax liability you'll have for the year. IRS Publication 505 contains all the rules and details you might need to know about how to calculate this amount. If you overestimated how much tax liability you’d owe for a year and are due a refund, you can choose to receive that money now or apply the overage to the following year’s quarterly tax payments.
- June 16, 2025 - Second quarter 2025 estimated tax payment due. Despite the IRS referring to these payments as quarterly estimated taxes, the due dates don’t necessarily fall within “quarters” nor do they each represent three months of tax payments. They represent an equal quarterly share of your estimated income tax liability paid at uneven intervals. The first payment occurs 3 and a half months into the year. The second payment is five and a half months; the third payment is eight and a half months, and the fourth payment is due 12 and a half months after the year starts.
- September 15, 2025 - Third quarter 2025 estimated tax payment due.
- October 15, 2025 - Deadline to file your extended 2024 tax return. If you chose to file an extension request on your tax return, this is the due date for filing your tax return.
- December 31, 2025 - Required minimum distributions have to be taken for individuals age 73 or older by the end of 2025. After taking your first RMD (for 2024) by April 1, 2025, if you turned 73 in 2024, you also need to take your 2025 RMD by the end of the year. This is also the deadline if you are otherwise required to take an RMD for 2025.
- January 15, 2026 - Fourth quarter 2025 estimated tax payment due. This represents the final quarterly estimated tax payment due for 2025. If you choose the option to pay 100% of your previous year’s tax liability, any unpaid taxes will be due when you file your 2025 individual tax return by the April 2026 deadline.
TurboTax Tip:
If you’re not sure of how much you should pay in estimated taxes this year and you don't want to pay the wrong amount by accident, you can choose to pay 90% of your estimated current year tax bill or 100% (or 110% depending on AGI) of your prior year tax bill. This generally avoids needing to pay an underpayment penalty.
Businesses - Partnerships (including LLCs), C Corps (Form 1120), and S Corps (Form 1120S)
- January 15, 2025 - 4th Quarter 2024 estimated tax payment due
- Early 2025 - 2024 Tax season begins
- January 31, 2025 - Employers send W-2s forms to employees
- January 31, 2025 - Send certain 1099 forms
- March 15, 2025 - Taxes are due for some business types (partnerships, multi-member LLCs, and S-Corporations). Businesses organized as partnerships, including multi-member LLCs, and S-Corporations need to file Form 1065, or 1120S by March 15, 2025, if they are a calendar year business. If your business uses a fiscal year, you need to file your tax return by the 15th day of the third month following the close of your tax year. For example, if your business uses an April 1 - March 31 tax year, your business tax return would be due June 15 instead of March 15.
- April 15, 2025 - Taxes for C-Corporations are due. Businesses organized as C-Corporations need to file form 1120 by April 15, 2025, if they are a calendar year business. If your business uses a fiscal year, you need to file your tax return by the 15th day of the third month following the close of your tax year. For example, if your business uses an April 1 - March 31 tax year, your business tax return would be due June 15 instead of in April.
- September 15, 2025 - Deadline for extended partnership and S-corporation returns
- October 15, 2025 - Deadline for extended C-corporation returns
- January 15, 2026 - Fourth quarter 2025 estimated tax payment due
The above doesn't cover every tax deadline, merely the most important ones broadly relevant to these groups of taxpayers. For a comprehensive view of all the important tax deadlines applicable to each taxpayer, please visit IRS Publication 509.
What if I miss a tax deadline?
If you missed one of these key tax deadlines, you have options. Those options depend on what deadline was missed and whether you owe money or are due a refund.
What happens if you miss the tax filing deadline and are owed a refund?
If you overpaid for the 2024 tax year, there's typically no penalty for filing your tax return late. However, you should file as soon as possible.
Generally, you have three years from the tax return due date to claim a tax refund. That means for 2024 tax returns, the window closes in 2026. After three years, unclaimed tax refunds typically become the property of the U.S. Treasury.
What happens if you miss the tax filing deadline and owe taxes?
When you miss a tax filing deadline and owe money to the IRS, you should file your tax return as soon as possible. Every day your tax return is delinquent, the IRS typically charges interest, failure to file penalties and failure to pay penalties until you file your return and pay the balance due.
What happens if you miss an estimated tax payment deadline?
If you miss an estimated tax payment, make your payment as soon as you can. The penalties and interest the IRS charges depend on how much you owe and how late you are, but you can minimize the damage by making your payment as soon as possible.
What if I owe more than I can pay?
Don't put off filing just because you can't afford to pay the amount due on the day you need to file your tax return. The IRS starts charging penalties and interest on the day the return is due, no matter when you file. You can minimize failure-to-file penalties by filing as soon as possible, paying as much as you can when you file, and setting up an installment plan for the balance.
What's the fastest way to file my tax return?
The fastest and most accurate way to file your tax return is to file electronically.
E-filing your tax return with the IRS is more secure than paper filing. Because the tax return is electronically transmitted to the IRS, you don't have to worry about it getting lost in the mail or arriving late. You'll also get confirmation right away that the IRS has received your return and has started processing it.
If you're waiting for a tax refund, the fastest way to get your money is to have it electronically deposited into your bank account. The IRS typically issues 90% of refunds in less than 21 days when taxpayers combine direct deposit with electronic filing.
What if I need more time?
Don't let a looming tax deadline force you to rush through the tax filing process and make a mistake on your return. Simply request an extension.
The IRS typically grants a six-month extension of the tax filing deadline to anyone who requests it. You can request an extension electronically with TurboTax or use Form 4868.
Just keep in mind, the tax extension gives you more time to file your return, not more time to pay the tax you owe. You'll need to estimate the amount you owe and make your payment by the tax filing deadline even if you file an extension.
What happens to my tax deadlines if I live in an area impacted by a natural disaster?
If you need more time because you live in an area hit by a natural disaster, you might qualify for tax relief from the IRS. The IRS often postpones the tax filing deadline for taxpayers who live in or have a business within a federally declared disaster area.
For example, the IRS announced it would postpone tax filing and tax payment deadlines for taxpayers affected by the September 2020 California wildfires.
What if I made a mistake and need to re-file my taxes?
Mistakes happen. You file your tax return, then realize you forgot to report some income or claim a certain tax credit. You typically don't need to redo your whole return. Along with filing an amendment using Form 1040-X, you’ll also need to include copies of any forms and/or schedules that you’re changing or didn’t include with your original return.
IRS Form 1040-X is a two-page form used to amend a previously filed tax return. TurboTax can walk you through the amendment process to correct your tax return.
To avoid delays, make sure you only file Form 1040-X after your original Form 1040 has been accepted. If you’re filing a Form 1040-X to collect a tax credit or refund from a previous year, you’ll need to file within three years after the date you timely filed your original return, or within two years after the date you paid the tax, whichever is later.
What is the last day to file taxes?
The last day to file taxes for individual federal income tax returns is usually April 15 unless this falls on a Saturday, Sunday or official holiday. Some state-level holidays can extend the tax deadline by another day. You can request a six-month extension by filing Form 4868, making your last day to file individual income taxes October 15, or the next business day if this is a weekend or holiday.
If you also file taxes for your small business as a partnership or S corporation, the last day to file taxes is March 15 or April 15 for C-corporations unless this day falls on a weekend or official holiday. If your business runs on a non-calendar tax year, your federal tax return is generally due by the 15th day of the third month following the end of the company's fiscal year.
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