How do I check my remaining tax balance? Are late fees piling up? URGENT HELP

I filed my taxes this year and ended up owing money for the first time because I switched jobs. I used TurboTax and the system directed me to some tax payment website where I made one payment right after filing. But I haven't made any payments since then (I know, totally my fault). Is there any way to check my remaining balance somewhere online? I finally have enough money to pay everything off now. What's the best process for checking what I still owe and making the final payment? Also, am I getting hit with late fees at this point? I'm really stressed about this whole situation. I've always had refunds before, so this whole owing-money thing is new territory for me. Any help would be so appreciated!

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18 comments

Keisha Jackson

•8M

You can easily check your tax balance by setting up an account on the IRS website. Go to IRS.gov and look for "View Your Account Information" or "Online Account." You'll need to create an ID.me account if you don't already have one, which requires some identity verification steps. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to see your current balance, including any penalties and interest that have accrued since your first payment. And yes, unfortunately, if you haven't paid your full balance by the due date, you're likely being charged both late payment penalties (usually 0.5% per month) and interest on the unpaid amount. The good news is that paying it off now will stop those fees from growing any larger. You can make a payment directly through the IRS Direct Pay system on their website, which is free and secure.

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Keisha Jackson

•8M

The ID.me verification is straightforward for most people - you'll need a photo ID and to take a selfie for facial recognition. Some people do have issues if their documents don't match exactly or if the system has trouble with the facial recognition, in which case you might need to do a video call verification with an ID.me representative. Direct Pay payments are generally credited to your account on the day you make them, so penalties and interest will stop accruing immediately. However, it may take 1-3 business days for the payment to fully process and for your online account to reflect the new balance.

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Amina Diop

•8M

I was in exactly the same boat last year - first time owing taxes and totally confused about the follow-up process. After trying to navigate the IRS website and getting nowhere, I finally discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me so much headache. Their system analyzed my tax situation, showed me exactly what I owed including all the penalties and interest, and gave me clear options for payment. The best part was that it showed me the breakdown of my original tax amount versus the penalties that had accumulated, which the IRS site doesn't make very clear. It basically translated all that confusing IRS jargon into plain English and showed me the cheapest way to resolve everything.

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Amina Diop

•8M

The service is designed with privacy in mind - you can upload your tax documents and they use secure encryption for all your information. They explain exactly what data they need and why, and you can see it all laid out before proceeding. The value comes from the time and stress you save. Yes, you could technically navigate the IRS systems yourself, but many people find the clarity and simplicity worth it, especially when you're dealing with penalties and trying to figure out the most cost-effective way to resolve tax issues.

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Natasha Volkov

•8M

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after my skeptical question above and it was seriously worth it. The interface showed me exactly what I owed including the penalties (which were higher than I expected!). It broke down where my payment had gone and what was still outstanding. I was able to see that making a lump sum payment now would be better than the payment plan I was considering. The whole process took me like 10 minutes instead of the hours I spent trying to decipher the IRS website. Definitely less stressful than what I was doing before!

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Javier Torres

•8M

For anyone dealing with tax balance issues like this, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) if you need to actually speak with someone at the IRS. I spent DAYS trying to get through on the IRS phone lines to ask about my tax balance and penalties after making a partial payment. After watching their demo (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c), I gave it a try and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I wasted before. The agent was able to tell me exactly what I owed, explain my penalty situation, and even helped me set up a payment plan that worked with my budget.

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Javier Torres

•8M

It's actually pretty clever how it works - they use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When they reach an actual agent, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. No one else talks to the IRS for you - you're just skipping the hold time. The reason it works is because they have the technology to stay on hold across multiple lines simultaneously, something an individual caller can't do. It's not magic - just smart technology solving a common problem. I was skeptical too until I tried it, but it legitimately works and saved me hours of frustration.

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QuantumLeap

•8M

Okay I need to eat my words from my skeptical comment above. After waiting on hold with the IRS for 2 hours yesterday and getting disconnected, I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation. Got connected to an actual IRS person in like 15 minutes. The agent went through my entire tax situation, explained that I had accrued about $180 in penalties and interest so far (ouch), but then helped me set up a payment plan that actually reduced some of the penalties. Definitely worth it just for the stress reduction of finally having this resolved. The hold music was driving me insane before!

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Malik Johnson

•8M

If you're worried about late fees, you should know there are actually two different penalties that can apply: the failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month) and interest charges (federal short-term rate plus 3%). If you can't pay in full right away, you might qualify for a payment plan which can reduce the monthly penalty rate. Also check if you qualify for first-time penalty abatement - if you've had a clean tax record for the past 3 years, the IRS might waive your penalties (though not the interest).

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Malik Johnson

•8M

A clean tax record generally means you've filed all required returns and haven't had any significant penalties in the previous 3 tax years. Being late to file one year could potentially disqualify you, but it depends on whether you were assessed a failure-to-file penalty at that time. If you filed late but used an extension or weren't required to file that year, it shouldn't affect your eligibility. When in doubt, it's still worth asking the IRS about abatement - the worst they can say is no, and many people get approved even with minor issues in their history.

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