Federal IRS Extension

The deadline to efile a tax return is the same as to efile a tax extension: April 15.

If you efile a tax extension before April 15 you will have two deadlines:

• April 15 for the tax extension and October 15 for the tax return.
• After April 15 you can no longer efile a tax extension. You will have until October 15 to efile a tax return.
• After October 15 you can prepare your tax return on efile.com but you must mail in your tax return.

Please consider this misconception about tax extensions before you efile an extension.

eFile recommends you prepare and efile a tax return even if you:

• Don't have all tax information to efile a tax return by Tax Day
• Don't have the money to pay your taxes by Tax Day

The time to start and efile a tax extension is almost as much time as it takes to efile a tax return.

Not sure if you will owe taxes? Use the free eFile tax calculator for a tax estimate.

What if I can't pay the taxes I owe? Even if you don't have all tax information by April 15 you can amend your tax return at any time.

If you don't have the money to pay your taxes in full, pay a small fraction with your tax return. You might be subject to late fees or IRS penalties in either case.

Important Tax Extension Information:

Failure to efile/file a tax return or an IRS federal tax extension can be costly. If taxes are owed, a delay in filing may result in penalty and interest charges that could increase your tax bill by 25 percent or more.

There is no penalty for failure to file a tax return if a refund is due. But by waiting too long to file, you can lose your refund. In order to receive a refund, the return must be filed within three years of the due date. If you file a return, and later realize you made an error on the return, the deadline for claiming any refund due is three years after the return was filed, or two years after the tax was paid, whichever expires later.

The only way to avoid penalties is to efile or file a tax return and pay all taxes due by April 15.

Tax Return or IRS Extension?

You can start and efile a tax return on efile.com by Tax Day. Before you efile, know the tax amount you owe. Once your tax return has been accepted by the IRS you can make changes to this return by filing a tax amendment and download Form 1040x. There is no deadline to amend a tax return. If you efile a tax extension your deadline to efile the tax return is October 15 of the same year.

If you do not have enough tax information to start and efile a tax return by April 15 you should efile an IRS extension by April 15. However, you will need to find out how much you owe in taxes and submit payment by April 15 in order to avoid penalties/interest.

Tax Payment Options

One option: If you do not have the money to pay the taxes you owe, you can pay as much as you can afford now and pay the rest later. The IRS will most likely add penalties and/or interest to the late payments.

How much do you owe in taxes?

Option 1: Use the eFile free tax calculator.

Option 2: Start a tax return on eFile. Before you efile the return you will know whether you owe taxes based on all the tax information you entered.

As mentioned above, the consequences of efiling a tax return and only paying the taxes you can afford is the same as if you efiled a tax extension. Furthermore, you don't have to meet the October 15 deadline. However, if you decide to efile an extension at this point, you must sign out and then click on the tax extension link on the sign in page

Taxpayers should efile/file all tax returns that are due, regardless of whether or not full payment can be made with the return. Depending on an individual's circumstances, filing late may qualify a taxpayer for a payment plan. All payment plans require continued compliance with all filing and payment responsibilities after the plan is approved.

Select from these options and act by April 15:

• Start, prepare, and efile a tax return now
• File a state tax extension

Please contact efile.com with any questions about tax extensions.

How to efile a Federal Income Tax Extension

Starting and efiling a federal tax extension is similar to starting and efiling a tax return.

Returning Users:

1. If you have previously started a tax return on efile.com and you now decide to efile an extension instead of a tax return, please sign in under "Returning Users" from the link below. After you have signed in, click on the "Prepare an Extension" link on your left. eFile will import your already entered tax information. Simply follow the on-screen instructions and edit your tax information as needed.

New Users:

1. If you have NOT previously started a tax return on efile.com please start an account under "New Users" from the link below. After you have signed in, click on "Prepare an Extension" link on your left and follow the on-screen instructions.

Start and efile a Federal Tax Return Extension (ends on April 15, 2010)

 

How to File a State Income Tax Extension

You cannot efile a state income tax extension with a federal tax extension on efile.com. Please find out how to submit a state tax extension for a particular state.

top