How do I file for a tax extension electronically before the April 18 deadline?
So I'm seriously running behind on gathering all my tax documents this year (my fault for procrastinating, I know). I've never had to file for an extension before but I'm definitely not going to make the April 18 deadline this year. Can anyone walk me through how to file for an extension electronically? How long do I actually get if I file for an extension? I've been looking at the IRS website and it mentions something about using their Direct Pay system and estimating what I owe? I normally use TurboTax - can I just request the extension through there instead of going directly through the IRS? Really appreciate any help since I'm kind of panicking about the deadline approaching!
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Omar Hassan
You've got a few options for filing an extension electronically. The easiest way is probably through your tax software like TurboTax - they have a simple form to file Form 4868 (that's the extension form). The extension gives you until October 15 to file your completed return. Important thing to understand - an extension gives you more time to FILE, but not more time to PAY. If you owe taxes, you need to estimate what you owe and pay that amount when you file the extension. That's why the IRS mentions Direct Pay - you can use that to make your payment when filing the extension. If you use TurboTax, they'll walk you through the extension process including helping you estimate any payment. The software will electronically file Form 4868 for you. Alternatively, you can go to IRS.gov and use their Free File option, or use the Direct Pay system like you mentioned.
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Freya Pedersen
•Thanks for the quick response! So even though I'm getting the extension, I still need to figure out approximately what I owe and pay that now? What happens if I underestimate what I owe when I file the extension?
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Omar Hassan
•Yes, you still need to pay what you estimate you owe by the April 18 deadline. The extension only gives you more time for the paperwork, not for payment. If you underestimate what you owe, you'll likely have to pay interest on the unpaid amount, and possibly penalties. The interest rate is currently 7% per year, calculated daily. There's also a failure-to-pay penalty of 0.5% of the unpaid taxes per month. You can avoid or reduce the penalty by paying at least 90% of what you actually owe by the original deadline.
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Chloe Anderson
I was in the same boat last year and discovered taxr.ai which saved me tons of time with my extension! I had all these scattered docs and wasn't sure how to estimate what I owed for the extension payment. I uploaded my tax documents to https://taxr.ai and it analyzed everything and helped me figure out a reasonable estimate for my extension payment. It also helped me identify some documents I was missing so I could track those down before filing my complete return in October.
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Diego Vargas
•Does it work with self-employment income too? I'm a freelancer with irregular income and never know how to estimate what I'll owe for extensions.
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CosmicCruiser
•I'm hesitant to use another service when I'm already paying for TurboTax. Does it just give you an estimate or does it actually file the extension for you? And how accurate was your estimate compared to what you actually owed when you finally filed?
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Chloe Anderson
•Yes, it works great with self-employment income! You can upload your 1099s and expense receipts, and it helps calculate your estimated income and self-employment tax. It doesn't file the extension for you - it just helps you calculate what you should pay with your extension. For me, it was surprisingly accurate. I ended up owing only about $120 more than my estimate when I finally filed in October. I used the estimate to pay through the IRS Direct Pay system while filing my extension through TurboTax.
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CosmicCruiser
I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was incredibly helpful! I was worried about estimating my tax payment for the extension since I had some stock sales and freelance income this year. Uploaded my documents and it guided me through estimating a proper extension payment amount. Super easy to understand and definitely less stressful than guessing. I still filed the actual extension through TurboTax, but having a solid estimate for my payment made me feel much more confident!
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Anastasia Fedorov
If you're struggling to get through to the IRS with questions about your extension (which I definitely was last year), I recommend using Claimyr. The IRS phone lines are absolutely swamped this time of year, but https://claimyr.com holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. I was trying to figure out if I could get an extension after having some payment issues, and waiting on hold for hours wasn't an option with my schedule. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically saves you from wasting hours on hold.
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Sean Doyle
•How long did it actually take to get a callback? I've heard horror stories of people waiting on IRS hold for 3+ hours.
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Zara Rashid
•Sounds like a scam. Why would I trust some random service with my tax information just to avoid waiting on hold? The IRS specifically warns about third-party services.
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Anastasia Fedorov
•For me, it took about 45 minutes to get a callback, which was amazing considering it was just a week before the filing deadline when call volumes are highest. The service doesn't ask for any tax information - it just holds your place in line and connects you when an agent is available. I totally understand being cautious about tax scams - that's smart. But this service doesn't ask for any personal tax details, SSN, or anything like that. It's just a call connection service. You speak directly with the IRS agent, not with any third party about your actual tax situation.
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Zara Rashid
I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After struggling to get through to the IRS for 3 days with questions about my extension (kept getting disconnected after waiting 40+ minutes), I finally tried it. Got a call back in about an hour and was connected directly to an IRS agent who answered all my questions about filing an extension with some complicated foreign income issues. Seriously saved me hours of frustration and the peace of mind was worth it. No tax info required - it just held my place in the phone queue.
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Luca Romano
OP, make sure you're aware that even with an extension, if you owe estimated taxes for 2025 (like if you're self-employed or have investment income without withholding), your first quarterly payment is STILL due April 15th. The extension doesn't change that deadline at all. I learned this the hard way and got hit with penalties.
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Freya Pedersen
•Wait really?? I do have some freelance income on the side of my regular job. So you're saying even though I'm extending my 2024 tax return, I still need to make my first quarterly payment for 2025 by April 18th? How do I even figure that out when I haven't completed last year's taxes yet??
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Luca Romano
•Yes, that's exactly right. The extension only applies to your 2024 return, not to your 2025 estimated payments. It's super confusing and trips up a lot of people. For figuring out your 2025 quarterly payment, you can use last year's income as a basis (the safe harbor rule). If you pay 100% of what you owed last year (or 110% if your AGI was over $150,000), spread across your quarterly payments, you'll avoid penalties even if you end up owing more. You can always adjust later payments up or down as you get a better picture of your 2025 income.
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Nia Jackson
Just want to add that if you're expecting a refund, you don't actually NEED to file an extension or worry about the April 18 deadline. The penalty for filing late only applies if you owe money. If the IRS owes YOU money, there's no penalty for filing late (though you won't get your refund until you file).
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NebulaNova
•This is technically true but still not a great idea. If you don't file or extend and then discover you actually DID owe money (like if you made a calculation error), you'll get hit with both failure-to-file AND failure-to-pay penalties, which add up fast. Plus, the statute of limitations for the IRS to audit you doesn't start until you file.
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