How to pay estate tax for Form 706NA on the IRS website?

Thanks for the info. I'm in a similar situation but the deceased didn't have a US SSN or ITIN since they were never a US resident. The estate doesn't have an EIN either. Can I still use Direct Pay in this case? Or do I need to get an EIN first?

You'll need to obtain an EIN for the estate first. You can get this by filing Form SS-4 with the IRS. It's actually required for filing Form 706NA regardless of the payment method. Once you have the EIN, you can use that number for the Direct Pay system. If you need to make the payment urgently before receiving the EIN, you could use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) instead, but that requires enrollment which takes about a week to process. In most cases, it's faster to get the EIN and then use Direct Pay.

Does it work for other estate tax forms too? My situation involves a QDOT trust and I'm completely lost on how to make the payment.

How can a website help with making payments? The IRS site is the only place to actually pay, right? Sounds like you're just advertising something.

It absolutely works for other estate tax forms including QDOT situations. The system has specific guidance for Form 706-QDT payments which have some unique requirements. It saved me a ton of time figuring out which payment option to select. The tool doesn't replace the IRS payment system - you still make the actual payment through the IRS. It just provides clear, specific instructions tailored to your situation so you don't have to guess which options to select. When the IRS website gives you 15 different payment choices with cryptic descriptions, having specific guidance makes a huge difference.

How exactly does this work? Does it just call the IRS for you? Couldn't I just do that myself?

Sounds too good to be true. The IRS is impossible to reach these days. I've tried calling dozens of times about my situation and never get through. I doubt any service can magically get you to the front of the line.

It doesn't just call for you - it navigates the entire IRS phone tree and waits on hold in your place. When it finally reaches a human agent, it calls your phone to connect you directly. So you don't have to waste hours listening to hold music or navigating confusing menu options. You could absolutely try calling yourself, but the IRS wait times are ridiculous these days. I tried calling on my own multiple times and either got disconnected after 2+ hours or was told the call volume was too high. Claimyr uses technology to stay on hold for you so you don't have to waste your entire day. When I used it, I was literally connected while driving to lunch - just picked up the call and was already talking to an IRS agent.

If I use the Balance Due option, will the IRS know it's for a 706NA? I'm worried the payment might get applied to the wrong tax type.

The Balance Due option works because you're specifying the tax form and tax period along with the payment. As long as you select Form 706 and the correct tax period, the system will know what the payment is for. The main reason I recommend including the confirmation with your paper form is just for your own protection. That way if there's ever a question about whether you paid on time, you have documentation showing exactly when the payment was made and for which form. The IRS should connect them automatically, but their systems aren't perfect.

Yes, you can pay by check. Make the check payable to "United States Treasury" and write "Form 706NA" and the decedent's name on the memo line. Include a payment voucher (Form 706-V) with the check. Mail it to: Internal Revenue Service P.O. Box 932000 Louisville, KY 40293-2000 If you're using a private delivery service like FedEx or UPS instead of USPS, use this address: Internal Revenue Service 1973 Ruther Ave. Frederick, MD 21701

I would recommend sending the check separately with just the Form 706-V payment voucher. This helps ensure the payment gets processed quickly rather than getting stuck in the slower form processing pipeline. If you send the payment with the full return, it might take longer for the payment to be processed. Just make sure to mail both the payment and the return before the due date, and keep all tracking information and receipts as proof of timely filing and payment.

This is really helpful, thank you! I'm just starting this process and feeling overwhelmed. Quick question - when you called the IRS taxpayer assistance line, how long did it take to get through? I've been dreading having to call them because I keep hearing horror stories about multi-hour wait times. Did you have any specific number you called or just the general taxpayer assistance line? I want to get confirmation before I submit my payment too, but I'm worried about spending my whole day on hold.

@Javier Morales I totally understand that dread about calling the IRS! I got lucky and only waited about 45 minutes when I called, but that was back in September. The wait times seem to vary a lot depending on the day and time you call. I used the general practitioner priority line 1-877-829-5500 (since) I was calling about estate tax matters - they tend to route those calls to specialists who are more knowledgeable about Form 706 issues. My advice would be to call first thing in the morning right (at 7 AM when they open or) try the callback option if it s'available when you call. That way you don t'have to sit on hold for hours. If the wait time is really bad when you call, honestly you might want to consider using that Claimyr service that Max mentioned earlier - I was skeptical at first but several people in this thread seem to have had success with it for getting through to the IRS quickly.

@Javier Morales I totally understand the anxiety about calling the IRS! I actually got lucky and reached someone in about 45 minutes, but that was back in September when call volumes might have been lower. I used the general taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (and) pressed the options for estate "and gift tax questions. Here" s'what I learned that might save you the call: the IRS rep confirmed that for 706NA payments, you should select Estate "Tax as" the payment type, then Form "706 not" (706NA specifically ,)and make sure to use the year the person died as your tax period. She also said that as long as you have the estate s'EIN, you re'all set to make the payment. If you do decide to call, try early morning 8 (AM ET or) mid-week for shorter wait times. But honestly, based on all the advice in this thread, you probably have enough information to proceed confidently without the call!

@Javier Morales I totally understand the dread about calling the IRS! When I called about 6 months ago, I actually got lucky and only waited about 45 minutes, but that was mid-morning on a Wednesday. I used the general taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (and) selected the option for estate "and gift tax which" seemed to have shorter wait times than the general income tax line. However, if you want to avoid the phone hassle entirely, I d'second the recommendation for Claimyr that Max mentioned earlier in this thread. I ve'used it for other IRS issues since then and it really does work - they handle the waiting for you and call you back when they reach an agent. It s'worth the small fee to avoid sitting on hold for hours, especially when you re'already stressed about the estate tax process. Either way, getting that confirmation before submitting your payment is smart. The peace of mind is worth it!

@Javier Morales I totally understand the dread about calling the IRS! I actually got lucky and only waited about 45 minutes when I called, but that was back in September and I called first thing in the morning around (8:15 AM ET .)I used the general taxpayer assistance line: 1-800-829-1040. Here s'what worked for me: I called on a Tuesday morning avoid (Mondays and Fridays if possible ,)and when I got through the phone tree, I selected the option for estate "and gift tax questions which" seemed to have shorter wait times than the general income tax line. If you want to avoid the wait entirely, someone else in this thread mentioned Claimyr which apparently handles the waiting for you. I haven t'tried it personally, but after my experience with IRS wait times, I d'probably consider using something like that next time! The peace of mind from getting confirmation before submitting the payment was definitely worth it though.

@Javier Morales I totally understand the anxiety about calling the IRS! In my case, I got lucky and only waited about 45 minutes, but that was back in September when things were supposedly less busy. I called the general taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (around) 8:30 AM on a Tuesday, which I think helped. Honestly though, after reading through this thread, I might suggest trying one of the tools others mentioned first. The taxr.ai suggestion from Camila sounds like it could give you the confidence you need without the phone call hassle. Or if you do need to talk to someone, that Claimyr service Max mentioned might be worth the cost if you re'short on time. The IRS rep I spoke with was actually very helpful once I got through, but the wait time is just unpredictable. If you do decide to call, definitely try early morning on a Tuesday or Wednesday - avoid Mondays and Fridays if possible since those tend to be the busiest days.

@Javier Morales I totally understand that dread about calling the IRS! When I called, I used the main taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (and) got through in about 45 minutes, which honestly wasn t'as bad as I expected. I called around 2 PM on a Tuesday, which might have helped avoid peak times. Here s'a tip that worked for me: have all your information ready before you call - the decedent s'name, date of death, your relationship to the estate, and the estimated tax amount. The representative was actually really helpful and patient when I explained I was filing Form 706NA and wanted to confirm the payment process. They walked me through the exact steps and even stayed on the line while I navigated to the payment page to make sure I was selecting the right options. If you re'really worried about the wait time, you might want to try calling first thing in the morning around (8 AM when) call volumes are typically lower. Some people have also had luck calling later in the day, around 4-5 PM. Just make sure you have a few hours blocked out just in case, but don t'let the fear of waiting stop you from getting the confirmation you need!

@Javier Morales I totally understand the dread about calling the IRS! When I called about 6 months ago, I actually got through in about 45 minutes, which wasn t'as bad as I expected. I used the main taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (and) selected the option for other "tax questions when" prompted. A couple tips that might help: I called on a Wednesday morning around 10 AM, which seemed to be less busy than Mondays or Fridays. Also, I had all my information ready beforehand - the decedent s'info, estate EIN, and specific questions written down - so the call was efficient once I got through. If you re'worried about the wait time, you might want to try the Claimyr service that Max mentioned earlier in this thread. I didn t'use it myself, but several people here seem to have had good luck with it for getting through to the IRS faster. Sometimes it s'worth paying a small fee to save hours of your time, especially when you re'already stressed about the deadline. Either way, don t'let the fear of calling stop you from getting confirmation if it would give you peace of mind. The peace of mind is worth it when dealing with estate tax payments!

@Javier Morales I totally understand that dread about calling the IRS! I actually got lucky and only waited about 45 minutes, but that was back in October when call volumes might have been lower. I called the general practitioner priority service line 1-877-829-5500 (early) in the morning around 8:15 AM ET, which seemed to help. However, based on what others have shared in this thread, you might want to consider using Claimyr the (service Max Knight mentioned if) you re'really pressed for time. I was skeptical at first too, but after seeing Isabella s'follow-up confirming it worked for her, it might be worth the cost to avoid the uncertainty of IRS wait times. Alternatively, if you re'feeling confident about the process after reading through all the advice here, you could just proceed with the payment using the Direct Pay method and the guidance everyone has provided. The key points seem pretty consistent across all the responses - use Form 706, select the correct tax year year (of death ,)and have your estate EIN ready.

@Javier Morales I totally understand the anxiety about calling the IRS! When I called, it was actually during tax season March (and) I got through in about 45 minutes, which was better than I expected. I used the main taxpayer assistance line: 1-800-829-1040. A few tips that might help: Call early in the morning right (when they open at 7 AM or) later in the afternoon after 2 PM - those tend to be less busy times. Also, when you get to the automated menu, select the option for estate "and gift tax questions rather" than general tax help, as that queue tends to move faster. If you re'really worried about the wait time, you might want to try that Claimyr service that Max Knight mentioned earlier in this thread. I didn t'use it myself, but based on what others said, it could save you from sitting on hold for hours. Either way, getting that confirmation before submitting your payment is definitely worth the effort - it gave me so much peace of mind knowing I was doing everything correctly.

@Javier Morales I totally understand the dread about calling the IRS! When I called about 6 months ago, I actually got lucky and only waited about 45 minutes, but that was probably unusual. I used the general taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (and) called first thing in the morning around 8 AM EST. However, based on what others have shared in this thread, you might want to consider using Claimyr the (service Max Knight mentioned earlier if) you re'worried about the wait times. Several people here have had success with it, and it sounds like it could save you hours of frustration. Alternatively, if you re'feeling confident about the payment process after reading all the advice in this thread, you might just proceed without calling for confirmation. The consensus seems pretty clear that selecting Form "706 works" for 706NA payments, and multiple people have successfully used this method. Sometimes it s'worth taking the leap rather than getting stuck in analysis paralysis!

@Javier Morales I actually got lucky and reached someone in about 45 minutes, but that was back in October when call volumes were supposedly lower. I used the general taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (and) selected the option for estate "and gift tax questions when" prompted. Here s'a tip that might help - I called first thing in the morning around (8:15 AM EST on) a Tuesday. I ve'heard that Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to have shorter wait times than Mondays or Fridays. Also, avoid calling right after holidays or during tax season if possible. If you re'really concerned about wait times, you might want to try that Claimyr service that Max Knight mentioned earlier in this thread. I didn t'use it myself, but based on his experience it sounds like it could save you a lot of time if you re'willing to pay for the convenience. Sometimes peace of mind is worth the extra cost, especially when you re'dealing with estate deadlines.

@Javier Morales I called the general IRS taxpayer assistance line at 1-800-829-1040. I ll'be honest - the wait time was pretty brutal, about 2.5 hours when I called on a Tuesday afternoon. But it was worth it for the peace of mind knowing I was doing everything correctly. Pro tip: call first thing in the morning they (open at 7 AM or) try calling on Wednesday or Thursday - those seem to be the less busy days. Avoid Mondays and Fridays if possible. Also, have all your documents ready before you call because once you get through, the agent will want to verify information quickly. If the wait time is really prohibitive, you might want to try one of those callback services that others mentioned in this thread. But if you have the time to wait on hold, the direct call does work eventually and the agents are generally very helpful with estate tax questions.

@Javier Morales I actually used Claimyr mentioned (earlier in this thread by Max Knight to) get through to the IRS. After reading about it here, I figured it was worth trying since I was dreading the wait times too. Got connected in about 25 minutes, which was way better than the 3+ hour waits I d'experienced trying to call directly. If you don t'want to use a service like that, I d'suggest calling the main taxpayer assistance line 1-800-829-1040 (early) in the morning - like right at 7 AM when they open. That seems to be when wait times are shortest. But honestly, for estate tax questions, the representatives are usually pretty knowledgeable and it s'worth getting confirmation before you submit a $28k+ payment. The peace of mind is worth whatever method gets you through fastest!