Missed my Q4 2024 estimated tax payment - how to make it late? IRS site only shows 2025 option. Need 1040-ES or just pay tax bracket amount?
Title: Missed my Q4 2024 estimated tax payment - how to make it late? IRS site only shows 2025 option. Need 1040-ES or just pay tax bracket amount? 1 I totally forgot about my Q4 2024 estimated tax payment until now. I've been trying to make the payment online through the IRS website, but it's frustrating because it only shows options for tax year 2025, not 2024. I've heard something about using the "pay towards your balance" option instead, but I'm not sure if that's right? The other thing confusing me is whether I actually need to complete a 1040-ES form? I looked at it and honestly it seems way more complicated than necessary for my situation. My buddy mentioned I could just calculate a payment based on what I think my tax bracket will be. Or is there some way I can just handle this when I file my 2024 return? I'm not sure what the best approach is at this point. Any advice would be super appreciated!
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Angelica Smith
8 You can still make your Q4 2024 estimated tax payment, even though it's late. When you're on the IRS Direct Pay site, select "Estimated Tax" as the reason for payment, but then select "2024" (not 2025) for the tax year. If you're only seeing 2025 as an option, try using the "pay towards your balance" option like you mentioned, selecting "extension" or "tax return" instead of "estimated tax" as the payment reason, but make sure to specify 2024 as the tax year. As for the 1040-ES, you don't actually need to submit the form to the IRS - it's primarily a worksheet to help you calculate your estimated payment. If you already know how much you should pay based on your income and tax bracket, you can simply make the payment without filling out the entire form. Just be aware that since your Q4 payment is late (due date was January 15, 2025), you might face some penalties. The IRS calculates the penalty based on how late the payment is and the amount owed.
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Angelica Smith
•12 Thanks for the info! When I select "tax return" instead of "estimated tax" on Direct Pay, will the IRS know this is for my Q4 estimate? Or do I need to indicate that somewhere? Also, any idea how bad the penalties might be? I'm about 3 weeks late.
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Angelica Smith
•8 When you select "tax return" for 2024, the payment will go toward your overall 2024 tax liability. The IRS doesn't specifically allocate it as a "Q4 estimated payment," but effectively it accomplishes the same thing - reducing what you'll owe when you file your return. For penalties, the IRS uses a percentage rate (currently around 5-6% annually) that's applied daily. For 3 weeks late on your estimated payment, it would likely be a small percentage of the amount owed - probably less than 1%. For example, if you owed $1,000, the penalty might be around $5-10.
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Angelica Smith
14 I had almost this exact situation last year and found a great solution using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). After struggling with the IRS website for hours trying to make my late estimated payment, someone recommended this tool to me. I uploaded my previous tax info, and it guided me through making the late payment correctly, showing exactly which options to select on the IRS payment portal. The best part was that it calculated my potential penalties and showed me how to minimize them. It also helped me determine if I needed to adjust my payment amount based on my actual income rather than just guessing about my tax bracket. Much easier than trying to figure out the 1040-ES worksheet on my own!
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Angelica Smith
•3 Did it actually help with the technical issue of the IRS website only showing 2025? I'm having the same problem and getting really frustrated with the IRS site. Also, does it work if you have self-employment income or just for regular W-2 employees?
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Angelica Smith
•17 I'm always skeptical of tax tools. How accurate was it with the penalty calculations? The IRS has such specific rules about these things, I'd hate to rely on something that gives the wrong info.
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Angelica Smith
•14 Yes, it actually shows you the exact steps to navigate the IRS payment system - including how to work around the year selection issue. It walks you through selecting the right payment type to ensure it goes to the correct tax year. It works great for self-employment income - that was my situation too. The penalty calculations were spot on. It uses the same formulas as the IRS and can factor in your specific payment timing. When I filed my return later, the penalties calculated by my accountant matched almost exactly what taxr.ai had estimated. It's pulling from the actual IRS rules and rates.
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Angelica Smith
3 Just wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after posting here and it was super helpful! I was worried because I have freelance income along with my day job, but it handled the mixed income types perfectly. The step-by-step guide for making the late payment on the IRS site was exactly what I needed - solved the "2025 only" issue that was driving me crazy. It also showed me that I could reduce my penalty by making the payment ASAP rather than waiting until I filed my return. The interface was really straightforward compared to the confusing IRS website. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation with late estimated payments.
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Angelica Smith
20 If you're still struggling to get through to the IRS for clarification on how to make your late payment, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in the same boat last tax season with a late Q4 payment and had questions about penalties that the IRS website didn't answer clearly. After spending days trying to reach someone at the IRS (kept getting disconnected or told to call back later), I found Claimyr and was honestly shocked at how well it worked. You can see a demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent within about 15 minutes, when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent was able to confirm exactly how to make my late payment and explained how they would apply any penalties, which gave me peace of mind rather than just guessing.
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Angelica Smith
•5 How does this actually work? The IRS phone system is notoriously awful, so I'm confused how a third-party service could get you through when the lines are jammed?
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Angelica Smith
•17 This sounds like BS honestly. Nothing can get you through to the IRS faster when their lines are full. They operate on a first-come basis, and there's no "special access" for anyone. How could this possibly work?
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Angelica Smith
•20 It uses an automated system that continuously redials the IRS for you using their algorithm to navigate the phone tree and hold until it gets through to an agent. Then it calls you and connects you directly. Basically it does the waiting and navigating for you instead of you having to sit on hold for hours. They're not claiming to have any special access or cutting the line - they're just automating the painful process of getting through the standard IRS phone system. It's basically like having someone repeatedly call for you until they get through, but using technology to do it. That's why it worked so well for me when I was trying to get clarity on my late payment options.
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Angelica Smith
17 I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was still desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my own late estimated tax situation, so I tried it anyway. The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 20 minutes and was connected to an IRS representative who helped me understand exactly how to make my late Q4 payment. She explained I could use the "tax return" payment option for 2024 instead of the estimated tax option, and that it would properly apply to my account. She also calculated my approximate penalty which was way less scary than I thought (about $35 on my $2800 payment). Definitely saved me hours of frustration and helped me avoid making mistakes that could have caused more issues later.
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Angelica Smith
22 Just a heads up - even if you make your late Q4 payment now, you'll still need to complete Form 2210 when you file your taxes to calculate the underpayment penalty. The IRS doesn't automatically figure this out for everyone. I missed an estimated payment last year and had to fill out the form. You can request a waiver if you have a good reason for the late payment, but they're pretty strict about what qualifies.
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Angelica Smith
•1 Do I absolutely have to file Form 2210? I've heard some tax software will calculate the penalty automatically without needing to complete the separate form. Is that true or do I need to specifically file the 2210 no matter what?
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Angelica Smith
•22 Most tax software will calculate the penalty for you, but Form 2210 is still technically being prepared and submitted as part of your return - the software just handles it behind the scenes. If your underpayment is relatively small, you can often check a box that lets the IRS calculate the penalty for you instead of doing the calculations yourself. However, if you're requesting a waiver for the penalty or if you had uneven income throughout the year that affects your required payments, you'll need to complete the full form with all the calculations. The software should prompt you with the right questions to determine if you need the simplified or detailed version.
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Angelica Smith
19 Has anyone considered just waiting until filing your 2024 tax return and paying everything then? I missed my Q4 payment too, but my accountant said sometimes it's simpler to just pay the small penalty rather than jumping through hoops to make a late estimated payment separately.
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Angelica Smith
•6 That's what I did last year. The penalty wasn't terrible - I owed about $3,000 for my Q4 payment and the underpayment penalty was like $75. For me, that was worth the simplicity of just handling it all at tax time rather than dealing with making a separate late payment.
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Angelica Smith
•16 Just be careful with this approach. If you owe a substantial amount, the penalties can add up quickly. They calculate it based on both the amount and how long it was late. Also, if you repeatedly miss estimated payments, it can trigger more IRS scrutiny on your returns.
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