How to confirm exact amount owed to IRS on extended tax return?

While the amount on their tax return is the base amount they owe, they'll also need to pay penalties and interest since they didn't pay by the April 18th deadline. Even with an extension, the payment was still due on the original filing date. The IRS typically adds a failure-to-pay penalty of 0.5% per month on the unpaid taxes, plus interest that's currently around 7% annually. The online account probably doesn't show anything yet because their return is still being processed. They have a few options: 1) They can call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 to get the exact amount (though wait times can be long). 2) Their tax preparer should be able to calculate the penalties and interest. 3) They can pay what's shown on their return now to stop further penalties from accumulating, then wait for a bill from the IRS for the remaining amount.

I was in a very similar situation last year and discovered taxr.ai after trying to figure out my complicated tax situation. I had filed an extension but didn't realize I still needed to pay by the original deadline. When I finally got my taxes done, I wasn't sure exactly how much I owed with all the penalties. I uploaded my tax documents to https://taxr.ai and their AI analyzed everything, explaining exactly what I owed and even calculating the approximate penalties and interest. It saved me from having to spend hours on hold with the IRS. Their system can interpret tax documents and give you a clear breakdown of everything, including what additional fees you might be facing.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that the other commenter recommended. I was skeptical at first but it was actually super helpful for my parents' situation! I uploaded their tax return and it gave us an exact breakdown of what they originally owed plus the estimated penalties and interest through today's date. It even explained which penalties were being applied and why, and showed the calculation method. My parents paid the full amount it recommended and about 3 weeks later their IRS account updated showing $0 balance. Would definitely recommend for anyone trying to figure out their actual amount due after missing the payment deadline.

If your parents are really struggling to get through to the IRS (which is likely this time of year), I'd recommend checking out Claimyr. I was in the exact same boat - owed money, couldn't figure out the penalties, and kept getting disconnected when calling the IRS. With https://claimyr.com, they actually got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of spending hours on hold or getting disconnected. They have a nice demo video of how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they wait on hold for you and then call you when an actual human at the IRS picks up. The agent gave me my exact payoff amount including all penalties and interest.

I need to eat my words on my skeptical comment above. After struggling for THREE DAYS trying to reach the IRS without success, I gave in and tried Claimyr. Got connected to an IRS rep in about 20 minutes! The agent confirmed my payment amount with penalties and interest, and I was able to make a payment right then over the phone. The best part was not having to sit by my phone for hours waiting. I just went about my day and got a call when they had an agent on the line. For anyone in OP's situation trying to confirm an amount owed, this saved me so much frustration.

Another option is to use the IRS Online Payment Agreement application. Even if your in-laws don't need a payment plan, going through the process will show them the current amount owed with penalties and interest calculated. You can find it on irs.gov under "Pay" and then "Payment Plans & Installment Agreements.

What tax software did your parents use? With TurboTax, you can actually recalculate the return later and it will update with current penalty and interest estimates. Just go into the account, open the return (don't file again!), and it will show updated amounts.