Can I make split payments to IRS before the April tax deadline?

Yes, you absolutely can make split payments to the IRS before the deadline! The IRS doesn't care how many separate payments you make as long as the full amount owed is paid by the filing deadline. You can make 2, 3, or even more payments if that works better for your budget. The easiest way to do this is through the IRS Direct Pay system on irs.gov, which lets you schedule payments directly from your bank account for free. Just make sure your total payments equal your tax liability by the deadline to avoid any penalties or interest.

I was in this exact situation last year owing about $700 to the IRS. I discovered this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me figure out exactly how to schedule my payments to avoid penalties. The website has a payment calculator that shows you the minimum you need to pay by certain dates to avoid additional charges, which was super helpful for planning my split payments. They also have this payment tracker feature that helped me keep record of what I'd already paid and what I still owed. Definitely made the whole process less stressful!

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai that I asked about above. I decided to try it out for my situation (owed $1,200 this year, ugh) and it was actually really helpful! The payment calculator helped me figure out exactly how much I needed to pay each time to avoid any penalties. I was able to split my payment into 3 manageable chunks instead of draining my savings all at once. The site was super straightforward to use and didn't ask for any sensitive info like I was worried about. Definitely recommend if you're trying to manage tax payments on a tight budget!

If you're having trouble reaching the IRS to confirm your payment options (which I always do because their phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE), try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was on hold with the IRS for literally 2+ hours trying to figure out my payment situation last month before I gave up. Then I found this service that actually gets you through to a real IRS person. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super suspicious at first but it actually worked! Got me through to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes who confirmed I could make multiple payments and even helped me set up my first one right then.

Well I owe a major apology to the person who recommended Claimyr above. I was 100% sure it was going to be a scam but I was desperate after trying to call the IRS for THREE DAYS with no luck. I finally tried the service yesterday and I'm still shocked - I was connected to a real IRS agent in under 20 minutes!!! The agent confirmed I could make as many partial payments as needed before the deadline and even helped me understand some payment plan options if I couldn't pay it all by April. Saved me hours of frustration and helped me get my tax situation sorted. Sometimes I hate being wrong but in this case I'm actually glad I was!

One more thing to consider - if you can't pay the full amount by the deadline, the IRS does offer installment plans. But there's a setup fee ($31-$130 depending on how you apply and pay) plus interest. So if you can manage to pay the full $563 before the deadline, even in separate payments, that's your best option financially!

Just a quick tip - when you make partial payments to the IRS, make sure you classify them correctly. When I did this last year, I made the mistake of marking one payment as an "estimated tax payment" instead of "tax return payment" and it caused some confusion. Double check that you're selecting the right tax year and payment type!

Great question! I went through this exact same situation a few years back. Yes, you can absolutely make split payments - the IRS doesn't require one lump sum payment as long as everything is paid by the deadline. A few practical tips from my experience: - Use IRS Direct Pay (it's free and you can schedule multiple payments) - Keep a simple spreadsheet or note tracking each payment amount and date - Consider spacing them about 1-2 weeks apart so you have time to ensure each payment clears before making the next one - Make sure your final payment is at least a few days before the deadline, not on the last day With only $563 owed, splitting it into 2-3 payments should be very manageable and won't trigger any issues with the IRS. Much better than stressing your budget with one big payment!