Post-Deadline Tax Tips

If you missed the tax deadline, these tips may be able to help.

The tax filing deadline has come and gone. If you didn’t file a tax return or an extension
but should have, you need to take action now.

Here are some tips to help you:

  • There is no penalty for filing a late return after the tax deadline if a refund is due.
    If you didn’t file and owe tax, file a return as soon as you can and pay as much
    as possible to reduce penalties and interest.
  • For those who qualify, IRS Free File is still available on IRS.gov through
    October 16 to prepare and file returns electronically.
  • If you don’t qualify for IRS Free File, you can use Free File Fillable Forms
    to e-file. This option uses electronic versions of IRS paper forms. It does
    some of the math and works best for those who are comfortable doing
    their own taxes.
  • You can get fast answers about your refund by using the Where’s My Refund?
    tool available on IRS.gov and through the IRS2Go mobile app. All you need is
    your Social Security number, tax filing status and the exact amount of your
    refund. Where’s My Refund? is updated no more than once every 24 hours,
    usually overnight, so you don’t need to check the status more often.
  • If you owe taxes, you can view your balance, pay with IRS Direct Pay, by
    debit or credit card or apply online for a payment plan, including an
    installment agreement. Before accessing your tax account online, you must
    authenticate your identity through the Secure Access process. Several other
    electronic payment options are available on IRS.gov/payments. They are
    secure and easy to use. If you pay electronically, you’ll receive immediate
    confirmation when you submit your payment. Also, with Direct Pay and
    EFTPS, you can opt in to receive email notifications about your payments.
  • If you need more time to pay your taxes, you can apply for an installment
    agreement with the IRS. The best way to apply is to use the IRS Online
    Payment Agreement tool. Once you complete the online process, you’ll
    receive immediate notification of whether your agreement is approved.

No matter how or when you file, you should keep a copy of your tax return and all
supporting documents.

All information is taken from https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/oc-missed-deadline.pdf