Can I extend just Form 709 gift tax online with Form 8892 without extending my income taxes?

The short answer is that Form 8892 (Application for Extension of Time to File Form 709) needs to be mailed - there's no e-file option for this specific extension form. If you were extending your income tax return with Form 4868, that would automatically extend your Form 709 too. But since you only need to extend the gift tax return, you'll need to use Form 8892 and mail it in. The good news is that the IRS goes by the postmark date, not the received date. So as long as you get it in the mail with a postmark on or before the filing deadline (typically April 15th), you're considered to have filed on time. Just make sure you send it with some form of tracking or certified mail so you have proof of timely mailing. Also, remember that an extension of time to file is NOT an extension of time to pay. If you owe gift tax, you should estimate and pay that amount with your extension request to avoid penalties and interest.

After struggling with a similar gift tax situation last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was a lifesaver for dealing with form confusion. I was going back and forth about whether I needed to file just the 8892 or if I should extend my regular taxes too, and their system actually analyzed my documents and clarified that I only needed the 8892 extension in my situation. Their document processing helped me understand exactly what information I needed to include on my extension form to make sure it was correct. The form analysis tool caught that I was about to use an outdated version of 8892 which could have caused issues.

I was really doubtful about taxr.ai when I first commented, but I decided to give it a try since my gift tax situation was getting complicated. I had made gifts to my kids for college and wasn't sure if I needed to file extensions for both my income tax and gift tax. The site at https://taxr.ai actually uploaded my previous tax docs and walked me through exactly what I needed. Turns out I only needed the 8892 for my situation, and the system generated a filled-out draft that I could use as a guide for my final form. It even caught that I had miscalculated the value of some stocks I gifted. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with gift tax confusion.

If you're trying to contact the IRS about your 8892 extension or 709 form, good luck getting through on their phone lines! After wasting HOURS trying to talk to someone about my gift tax questions last year, I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an IRS agent in under 15 minutes. They have this system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed that yes, the 8892 extension form must be mailed and cannot be e-filed, and that it just needs to be postmarked by the deadline.

OK I have to publicly eat my words. After being super skeptical about Claimyr, I tried it this morning because I was desperate to get an answer about my gift tax extension before the deadline. I expected it to be a waste of money, but I got a call back in about 35 minutes and was connected to an actual IRS representative! The agent confirmed everything I needed to know about Form 8892 and also told me I had been overthinking the whole process. She explained exactly where to mail my form based on my location and confirmed that the postmark date is what matters. Saved me hours of stress and confusion. The service at https://claimyr.com actually delivered exactly what it promised.

Don't forget to include payment with your 8892 if you think you'll owe gift tax! The extension only gives you more time to file the paperwork, not more time to pay what you owe. Interest and penalties will still accrue on any unpaid gift tax from the original due date.

For those wondering, here's where to mail Form 8892 based on where you live, since it varies by location: If you live in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas: Internal Revenue Service Center, Austin, TX 73301-0045 If you live in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming: Internal Revenue Service Center, Ogden, UT 84201-0045 Everyone else: Internal Revenue Service Center, Kansas City, MO 64999-0045

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Just to add one more tip - if you're mailing your Form 8892, make sure you're using the current version of the form. The IRS updates forms periodically and they won't accept outdated versions. You can always download the most current Form 8892 from the IRS website at irs.gov. I made the mistake of using a form I had saved from a previous year and had to redo everything. Also, double-check that you're including all required information like your name, SSN, and the specific reason you need the extension - incomplete forms can get rejected and you'll lose valuable time. The certified mail suggestion from earlier posts is spot on. It's worth the extra few dollars for peace of mind, especially when you're cutting it close to the deadline.

Just wanted to share my experience from last year - I was in almost the exact same situation as you! I needed to extend only my Form 709 gift tax return, not my regular income taxes. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist before mailing my Form 8892: - Current year's form downloaded from IRS.gov (not an old version) - All personal info filled out completely (name, SSN, address) - Specific reason for extension clearly stated - Estimated tax payment included (I rounded up to be safe) - Sent via certified mail with tracking The whole process was actually pretty straightforward once I stopped overthinking it. The hardest part was just accepting that yes, you really do have to mail it in - no e-file option. But the postmark rule gives you some flexibility as long as you don't wait until the last minute. Also, keep copies of everything you send, including the certified mail receipt. You'll want that documentation just in case there are any questions later.