Can you make multiple payments on IRS tax due? (2 credit cards + direct deposit)

Yes, you can absolutely use multiple payment methods to pay your tax liability! The IRS does limit you to two credit card payments per tax form, but you can definitely combine those with other payment methods like direct deposit (which is actually called Direct Pay on the IRS website). The way it works is that each payment method is processed separately. So you can make two credit card payments through one of the approved payment processors (they do charge convenience fees, just be aware), and then use Direct Pay for the remainder. The IRS systems will recognize all payments and apply them to your total tax due. Just make sure you keep records of all payment confirmations, and I'd recommend spacing them out by at least a day to ensure proper processing. Also, when making the payments, make sure you're selecting the correct tax year and form type each time.

I was in your exact situation last year and discovered taxr.ai while I was desperately looking for payment options. I had a pretty big tax bill (about $8k) and really wanted to spread it across multiple methods. I used their document analysis tool at https://taxr.ai to go through my tax forms and payment options, and they confirmed what the previous commenter said - you can use 2 credit card payments plus Direct Pay to cover the full amount. What was super helpful was that they also showed me exactly how to schedule everything properly so the payments all got applied correctly. They even helped me calculate if the credit card rewards outweighed the processing fees.

Just wanted to follow up and say thanks for recommending taxr.ai! I decided to give it a try and it was super helpful. Not only did it confirm I could use multiple payment methods, but it actually helped me realize my Chase Sapphire card would earn enough points to offset the fees completely. The step-by-step payment scheduling guidance was what I needed - you have to make the credit card payments first through the payment processors, then wait for them to post to your account (which takes 1-2 days), and then do the Direct Pay for the remainder. Would have probably messed that up without the clear instructions.

If you're having trouble getting clear answers from the IRS website, good luck trying to call them lol. I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to someone at the IRS about a similar payment question last month. Finally I found a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent within 45 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed exactly what everyone here is saying - you can make 2 credit card payments and then use Direct Pay for the rest. But they also told me something important: make sure all payments are completed by the due date. Just because you scheduled a payment doesn't mean it's considered "paid" until it processes.

I need to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment yesterday, I decided to try Claimyr myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS about an unrelated issue for weeks. Holy crap, it actually worked! Got a call back in about 35 minutes and spoke to an IRS agent who answered all my questions. About your original question - the agent I spoke with confirmed that you can definitely use 2 credit card payments plus Direct Pay. She also mentioned something important: if you're close to the deadline, use Direct Pay rather than credit cards because credit card payments can take 2-3 days to process while Direct Pay is considered paid on the day you submit it.

I did exactly this last year! Two credit cards and direct deposit for the remainder. Just make sure you save ALL the confirmation numbers. I took screenshots of each confirmation page just to be super safe. One thing that wasn't mentioned yet - you can also set up an installment plan with the IRS if the amount is too much to pay all at once. The fees are actually pretty reasonable compared to credit card interest if you're going to carry a balance.

One thing nobody's mentioned - if you're doing this to get credit card rewards, make sure you calculate if it's actually worth it! The payment processors charge fees between 1.87% and 1.98% of the payment. If your credit card only gives 1% back, you're LOSING money.

This is great info everyone! I just wanted to add that timing is really important if you're mixing payment methods. I learned this the hard way - made my Direct Pay payment first, then tried to do the credit card payments a few days later, and the system got confused about how much I still owed. The IRS agent I eventually spoke to said it's better to do the credit card payments first (since they take longer to process), then finish with Direct Pay for the remainder. That way you can see exactly how much is left to pay when you log into the Direct Pay system. Also, don't forget that Direct Pay has a daily limit of $10,000 and a 30-day limit of $10,000 too, so if your remaining balance is higher than that, you might need to use a different method or split it up further.

Thanks for all the helpful responses everyone! I'm feeling much more confident about this now. Just to make sure I understand the process correctly: 1. Make the two credit card payments first (through approved payment processors) 2. Wait 1-2 days for them to process and show up in my IRS account 3. Use Direct Pay for the remaining balance One follow-up question - when I'm making the credit card payments, do I need to specify which tax form they're for? I filed a 1040 with a Schedule C, so I want to make sure the payments get applied to the right place. Also, is there a way to check online that all my payments have been properly applied before the deadline? The reward calculation definitely makes sense for my situation since I'm working toward a signup bonus on one card and have a 2% cashback card for the other payment. Even with the processing fees, I'll come out ahead.

Just wanted to chime in with my recent experience doing exactly this! I had a $6,200 tax bill last month and used two credit card payments of $2,000 each, then paid the remaining $2,200 through Direct Pay. A few practical tips from my experience: - Make sure you're using the official IRS-approved payment processors for credit cards (PayUSAtax, Pay1040, or Official Payments). Don't use any third-party sites that aren't listed on the IRS website. - Keep your browser open and take screenshots of each confirmation page immediately. I learned this after my first payment confirmation email got delayed by several hours. - The Direct Pay system is really user-friendly and will show you your updated balance after the credit card payments post, which took about 36 hours in my case. One thing I wish I'd known ahead of time - if you have a business checking account, you can also use that for Direct Pay as an additional option if needed. Might be helpful if you hit any daily limits on your personal account. The whole process was much smoother than I expected, and getting those credit card rewards definitely made the convenience fees worth it!