How to file an extension for S Corporation tax return - urgent help needed!
I'm really stressing out right now trying to figure out how to file an extension for my S corporation. The whole process is super confusing and I'm completely new to having an S corp. My accountant sent me some form to fill out but didn't explain where I'm supposed to send it or how to actually file it. Can someone please walk me through this process? I just realized S corp tax returns are due this Friday and I'm nowhere near ready! I need to file an extension ASAP while my tax preparer gets all my documentation organized. I honestly had no idea the deadline was different from personal taxes and now I'm panicking a bit. What form do I need? Is it something I can do online? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
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Giovanni Ricci
You need Form 7004 "Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns" for your S corporation. This gives you a 6-month extension to file (not pay) your S corp return. You can file this form electronically through the IRS e-file system, through a tax software program, or mail it to the address listed in the form instructions. Most people file it electronically these days. The form is pretty straightforward - you'll need your S corp EIN, name, and address. You'll also need to indicate the form you're extending (Form 1120-S for S corps) and estimate your total tax liability. Remember this only extends your filing deadline, not your payment deadline. If you expect to owe taxes, you should pay the estimated amount when filing the extension to avoid penalties and interest.
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Amara Eze
•Thank you so much! So just to be clear, I can e-file the 7004 form directly on the IRS website? Or do I need special software? And what about state extensions - do I need to file those separately or does the federal extension automatically cover state filings too?
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Giovanni Ricci
•The IRS doesn't have a direct e-file option on their website for Form 7004. You'll need to use commercial tax software (like TurboTax Business, TaxAct, etc.) or an authorized e-file provider. Many accounting software programs like QuickBooks also have this capability built in. For state extensions, it varies by state. Some states automatically grant an extension if you received a federal extension, while others require a separate state extension form. Check with your specific state tax agency for their requirements. I strongly recommend handling both federal and state extensions to be safe.
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NeonNomad
After going through this exact nightmare last year, I found taxr.ai and it was a lifesaver for my S corp extension. I uploaded the form my accountant gave me to https://taxr.ai and it immediately told me exactly what I needed to do. The system flagged that I had filled out some parts wrong and gave me step-by-step instructions for e-filing the extension. Their system also helped me understand which forms I actually needed for my S corp since I was also super confused about the whole process. Saved me from missing the deadline and potentially facing penalties!
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
•Does taxr.ai also help with figuring out estimated tax payments? I'm considering an S corp next year but worried about all the quarterly stuff.
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Dylan Mitchell
•I'm a bit skeptical - how does it actually work? Do you just upload documents and it explains them? I've tried other "AI tax helpers" and they just gave generic advice that wasn't actually helpful.
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NeonNomad
•It actually walks you through calculating your estimated payments based on your profit projections. You can upload your financial statements and it helps determine what you'll likely owe so you can avoid underpayment penalties. As for how it works, it's much more specialized than generic AI tools. You upload your tax forms, corporate documents, or even pictures of IRS notices, and it analyzes them specifically for tax implications. It pointed out that I had entered the wrong code on my extension form and showed me exactly how to fix it. It's specifically trained on tax documents which makes a huge difference.
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Dylan Mitchell
I was initially skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it for my S corp extension issue. Wow - completely changed my filing experience! I uploaded both my draft extension form and some confusing IRS instructions, and within minutes I had clear explanations of what I needed to do. The system even caught that I was using an outdated form version my accountant had sent me. It showed me where to get the current form and exactly how to complete it for my specific situation. Probably saved me from having my extension rejected. Definitely using this for all my business tax questions going forward.
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Sofia Martinez
If you're having trouble getting through to the IRS to ask questions about your S corp extension (which I definitely was), I finally had success using https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual human. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I spent hours on hold before discovering this service. They somehow get you through the IRS phone maze and call you back when there's an actual agent on the line. I was able to confirm exactly what I needed for my S corp extension and got some questions answered about estimated payments too.
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Dmitry Volkov
•How long did it take to get a callback? The last time I tried calling the IRS myself I waited 2+ hours and then got disconnected!
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Ava Thompson
•Sounds too good to be true. I've tried calling the IRS business line dozens of times and it's always "due to high call volume" they can't take my call. How could some service magically get through when the lines are jammed?
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Sofia Martinez
•I got a callback in about 45 minutes, which was amazing considering I had previously spent multiple hours trying to get through myself. They text you updates while you wait so you're not left wondering what's happening. The service works because they have technology that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone system. Think of it like having someone dedicated to just getting through the phone tree for you. They don't actually talk to the IRS on your behalf - they just connect you once they get through. So when your phone rings, there's an actual IRS agent ready to talk to you.
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Ava Thompson
I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it for my S corp extension questions. I couldn't believe it actually worked! Got a call back in about an hour with a real IRS business tax specialist on the line. The agent confirmed everything I needed to know about filing Form 7004 and even helped me understand some S corp specific deductions I wasn't aware of. Saved me from having to pay my accountant for another consultation just to ask these basic questions. Definitely worth it when you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about business tax issues.
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CyberSiren
Don't forget that if you use tax software like TaxAct Business or TurboTax Business, you can e-file the extension through there! It's way easier than trying to figure out where to mail a paper form. I've been running my S-corp for 3 years and always just hit the "file extension" button in my tax software and it handles everything automatically.
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Miguel Alvarez
•Can you still file an extension through tax software if you're not actually planning to use that software to file your final return? My accountant prepares my actual S-corp return but I handle the extension myself.
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CyberSiren
•Yes, you can absolutely use tax software just for the extension even if your accountant prepares the final return. You just need to enter your company info and select Form 7004 for your S corporation. The software will submit the extension electronically and provide confirmation. I do this every year because my accountant charges extra to file the extension, but it only takes me about 10 minutes to do it myself through tax software. Just make sure you have your EIN and basic business information handy when you do it.
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Zainab Yusuf
One important thing nobody mentioned - if your S corp operates in multiple states, you might need to file separate extensions for each state! I found this out the hard way last year when I got a penalty notice from California even though I had filed my federal extension on time.
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Connor O'Reilly
•This is super important advice! Each state has different rules too. Some automatically grant an extension if you have a federal one, others require their own form, and some have different deadlines altogether. Always check each state where you have nexus.
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Zainab Yusuf
•Thanks for confirming! It was such a headache dealing with that penalty. I ended up having to call each state tax department directly to figure out their specific requirements. New York and California were the most complicated for me, while some other states were pretty straightforward about accepting the federal extension.
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