What happens if tax return gets accepted/rejected after the April 15 deadline? Should I wait for acceptance before paying taxes owed?

You should always make your payment by the filing deadline regardless of whether your return has been accepted yet. The IRS considers the payment and filing as two separate obligations with the same deadline. If your return gets rejected after the deadline, you'll have a 5-day grace period to correct and resubmit without penalty. However, your payment should still be made by the original deadline to avoid failure-to-pay penalties and interest, which start accruing immediately after the deadline passes. For anyone who owes taxes, I recommend making at least an estimated payment by the deadline even if you're filing an extension or are uncertain about your final tax amount. You can always get a refund later if you overpay, but underpayment penalties can add up quickly.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year and found taxr.ai super helpful when dealing with the stress of last-minute filing and payment questions. After my return got rejected due to a healthcare marketplace form issue (also had a 1095-A), I was freaking out about potential penalties. The site at https://taxr.ai analyzed my documents and confirmed I needed to make my payment regardless of acceptance status, but also helped identify exactly what needed fixing in my return.

I have to admit I was wrong about taxr.ai. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it when my return with multiple state filings got rejected after the deadline. The document analysis found an inconsistency in how I reported my remote work income across different states that I completely missed. Saved me from a potential audit flag and helped me understand exactly what the IRS was looking for. The guidance was specific to my situation, not just generic advice you can find anywhere.

If you're stressed about return rejections or have questions after the deadline, I highly recommend using Claimyr to get through to the IRS directly. I spent days trying to reach someone at the IRS after my return with a 1095-A was rejected (apparently there was a mismatch with what my marketplace reported). After two hours of busy signals and disconnects, I tried https://claimyr.com and got a callback from an actual IRS agent within 45 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, my return got rejected TWO DAYS after the deadline due to an issue with my 1095-A form. I was panicking about penalties and tried calling the IRS directly - spent 2.5 hours on hold before getting disconnected. Out of desperation, I tried the Claimyr service and got a callback with an actual IRS agent in about 35 minutes. The agent confirmed I wouldn't face penalties if I corrected and resubmitted within 5 days and made my payment right away. Saved me hours of frustration and probably some money in penalties too.

Quick tip about rejected returns: Make sure you're checking your email SPAM folder! My tax return was rejected last year and the notification went straight to spam. I only discovered it 10 days later and got hit with penalties because I missed the 5-day window to correct and resubmit. Most tax software sends rejection notices via email, but they don't always make it to your inbox.

One important thing nobody's mentioned - if you file on time but your return gets rejected after the deadline, make sure you keep proof of your original filing attempt! Screenshot the confirmation page showing you submitted before the deadline. This has saved me from penalties twice when dealing with rejections. The IRS system timestamps your submission attempt, not just the final acceptance.

Great question about payment timing! As others have mentioned, you should always make your payment by the filing deadline regardless of acceptance status. I learned this the hard way a few years ago when I waited for acceptance and ended up paying interest on late payments. One thing to add - if you're ever unsure about your exact tax liability close to the deadline, it's better to overpay slightly than underpay. The IRS will send you a refund for overpayments (though it takes time), but underpayments start accruing interest and penalties immediately after the deadline. Also, for future reference, you can make payments online through IRS Direct Pay or EFTPS even if your return hasn't been accepted yet. Just make sure to include your SSN and tax year so the payment gets properly credited to your account when your return is eventually processed. Glad your return got accepted! The 1095-A forms can definitely cause processing delays, especially when combined with dependent status questions.