Don't Mess With Taxes

Hanging on for more time to file your taxes? Get more by filing Form 4868. (Harold Lloyd in 1923 film Safety Last!)

Tax returns are due in just over a week. A lot of taxpayers, however, don’t seem in that big of a hurry.

Last year, more than 163 million taxpayers filed returns. With the 2025 filing deadline looming, the Internal Revenue Service reports that has received just more than 89.5 million returns.

Sure, millions will get their 1040 forms filled out and to the IRS by Tuesday, April 15.

But based on past filing numbers, a sizeable group won't.

To avoid tax penalties for not filing, these taxpayers need to ask the IRS for an extension. It's not hard. All you have to do is file IRS Form 4868, and the tax agency will automatically give you six more months to send in your return.

Here's more on Form 4868, which is this week's By the Numbers figure.

Delayed filing OK; delayed paying NOT: When you just can't complete your return by Tax Day for whatever reason, the very short Form 4868 is the answer.

That's it below. In full. Yep, all of it. Just nine entries on the bottom quarter of the form's page 1.

See more tax forms and more about them at Tax Forms 2024 and Tax Forms 2025.

Note the form's name: Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. The key portion is “to File.” Submitting the form will get you extra time to complete and submit your 1040, but not extra time to pay any tax you owe.

That tax amount, or a good estimate of it, must be entered on line 7 (I highlighted it in red in the Form 4868 image above) and included when you send in the extension request by April 15. And yes, most taxpayers can both file for the extension and pay what they owe electronically.

Try to make a good, and good faith, estimate of your due tax. If you're off, even by a little, penalty and interest charges will be added to what is owed until you finally pay in full.

How to file: The extension request form itself is very short, but is you download the full Form 4868, you’ll find its general instructions are printed just above it. They include ways to e-file and e-pay. More detailed form filing guidelines follow on pages 2 through 4.

But basically, you enter just enter —

• Your name and, if filing jointly, your spouse's name, in the order in which they will appear on your tax return;
• Your mailing address;
• Your Social Security number (and spouse's nine ID digits if filing jointly);
• An estimate of your total tax liability for 2024 (You're going to have do a down-and-dirty pre-filing calculation to come up with a good number.);
• Total of what you have already paid in taxes last year, such as payroll withholding and any estimated tax payments you made); and finally, the biggie
• How much, if any, of the tax amount you entered earlier that you're paying with your filing extension request.

The form finishes up with a couple of checkboxes.

The first is for taxpayers who are U.S. citizens or residents and who are out of the country. You also don't have to worry about filing for a couple more months. Your regular Tax Day isn't until June 15. But the 4868 will get you four extra months to file if you can't meet the summer due date. Again, though, overseas U.S. taxpayers who don't pay what they owe by the April due date will face penalties and interest on that amount.

The final checkbox is for taxpayers who file Form 1040-NR and didn't receive wages as an employee subject to U.S. income tax withholding. The full Form 4868 instructions (again, included as part of the form itself) have more information for these filers.

Ways to ask for more time: Most taxpayers use tax software, on their own or through the tax pro they've hired. Those tax prep programs or your tax preparer offer the extension option, including electronic filing and paying of your due tax.

The IRS also offers a way to avoid the form itself entirely. You don't need to file Form 4868 if you make your due-tax payment using one of the tax agency's electronic payment options, either online or by phone. When you do this, the IRS will automatically process an extension of time for you to file.

If, however, you prefer to pay by check or money order, then send it and your completed paper Form 4868 via the U.S. Postal Service. As long as the envelope has an April 15 postmark, you're fine.

Just be sure you send your payment and form to the correct address. Page 4 of the combined Form 4868 form and instructions has the proper mailing address to use. It's based on where you live, and whether you're including a tax payment with your 4868 or don't have to pay anything.

If you prefer to use a private delivery service, check IRS.gov/PDS.

Pay what you can: A lot of people put off filing because they know they owe. But as noted (repeatedly), delaying isn't going to help here. Not to belabor the point (again), but you must pay your expected tax liability when you file Form 4868.

If you can't pay your full tax liability, pay as much as you can by Tax Day, April 15. Even a partial payment will reduce any interest and late-payment penalty amounts. Getting the extension and payment in on time will show the IRS that you know the tax deadline, and that you also know you owe.

And if it's a super large tax bill, contact the IRS as soon as possible about a payment plan.

But the key move right now, with April 15 bearing down and your Form 1040 still full of lots of empty lines, is to file a Form 4868. It will let Uncle Sam know you are making an effort to fulfill your filing, and paying, responsibilities.

Then take a breath. With the extension, you've now got plenty of time to finish your taxes.

You also might find these items of interest:

• Don't wave any of these 10 tax audit red flags
• Do you live in a tax procrastinating state or city?
• IRS has payment plans if you owe but can't pay in full

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