When does the IRS actually withdraw tax payments from my bank account?
Filed my taxes about 10 days ago with FreetaxUSA and I owe around $2,700 this year. I entered my bank account details like I always do when filing. Now I'm sitting here wondering...when exactly does the IRS take that money from my account? Does it happen automatically or do I need to do something else? I'm a bit worried because I realized I put my bank info in the section for receiving refunds, but since I owe money this time (no refund), I'm not sure if that's enough. Do I need to go to IRS.gov and make a separate payment arrangement? I don't want to get hit with late fees because of a stupid mistake. Has anyone dealt with this before? I'd really appreciate some guidance!
25 comments


Chloe Green
When you owe taxes, the IRS doesn't automatically withdraw the money from your bank account even if you provided your banking information on your return. That bank account section is just for refunds. You need to take additional steps to pay what you owe. Go to IRS.gov/payments to make a payment. You have several options: - Direct Pay (free from your checking/savings account) - Pay with card (credit/debit, but fees apply) - Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) - Pay with cash at a retail partner - Payment plan if you can't pay all at once Since you filed two weeks ago, you still have time before the April 15 deadline to pay without penalties. Just make sure your payment is completed by the filing deadline to avoid interest and penalties.
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Lucas Adams
•Wait so if I already filed through TurboTax and had a balance due, I have to go make a separate payment?? I thought it was all handled through the filing process. Does TurboTax work differently than FreeTaxUSA?
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Chloe Green
•Yes, you still need to make a separate payment for taxes owed, regardless of which tax software you used. Both TurboTax and FreeTaxUSA work the same way in this regard - they help you file your return but don't automatically process your payment to the IRS. The bank information you provide during filing is primarily for receiving refunds. If you owe taxes, you need to initiate the payment separately through one of the IRS payment methods. Some tax software offers to set up the payment for you during filing, but it's still a separate step that you would have explicitly authorized.
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Harper Hill
Had this exact problem last year! I was stressing out about when the money would be withdrawn. I tried calling the IRS but kept getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message for days. Eventually I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which cleared things up for me. You can upload your tax documents and their AI analyzes everything to explain exactly what steps you need to take. It confirmed I needed to make a separate payment and explained all the payment options with pros/cons of each. The site even gave me personalized instructions based on my specific situation - super helpful since I was worried about penalties. Definitely saved me from the anxiety of wondering if I'd done everything correctly.
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Caden Nguyen
•How does that work exactly? I'm always nervous about uploading my tax documents to random websites. Is it secure? And does it actually tell you something you couldn't just find on the IRS website?
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Avery Flores
•I'm a bit skeptical. How much does this service cost? Seems like something I should be able to figure out on my own with a bit of googling. Not sure I need to pay for something like this...
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Harper Hill
•The site uses bank-level encryption for all document uploads, so security is really solid. What makes it different from the IRS website is that it analyzes your specific situation rather than giving general info. It pointed out that I had a specific type of income that had different payment requirements than standard W-2 income. It's not free, but for me the peace of mind was worth it. I was on the verge of making a mistake that would have cost me more in penalties than what I paid for the service. Plus it saved me hours of research trying to find the exact information that applied to my situation.
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Avery Flores
Well I took the plunge and tried taxr.ai and I have to admit I was wrong to be skeptical! The service was actually super helpful and identified something I'd completely missed. I had checked the wrong box on my tax form which would have messed up how my payment was processed. The step-by-step guidance made everything crystal clear - definitely worth it for the peace of mind. I was able to make my payment correctly through IRS Direct Pay and got an immediate confirmation. Now I'm not worried about getting hit with penalties because I know I did it right!
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Zoe Gonzalez
If you're still having trouble or just want to speak to someone at the IRS directly (which I always recommend for tax payment questions), check out Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I wasted THREE DAYS trying to get through to an IRS agent on my own last year when I had this same issue. Claimyr helped me skip the hold queue and got me connected to an IRS representative in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to do to make my payment properly and gave me peace of mind that everything was handled correctly.
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Ashley Adams
•How does this actually work? I didn't know there was a way to skip the IRS hold lines. Is this some kind of priority service the IRS offers?
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Alexis Robinson
•Yeah right. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. These services just take your money for something you can do yourself for free. The IRS doesn't give anyone special access. If this actually worked, everyone would use it.
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Zoe Gonzalez
•It works by continuously calling the IRS for you and navigating the initial phone tree until it gets a place in line, then it calls you when an agent is about to be connected. It's not a priority service offered by the IRS - it's just automating the frustrating part of calling them repeatedly. The IRS doesn't give anyone special access, that's true. This just handles the tedious process of repeatedly calling and waiting on hold. I spent hours trying on my own before using it. For me, the time saved was absolutely worth it since I was getting stressed about the approaching deadline.
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Alexis Robinson
I have to eat my words! After getting nowhere for days trying to call the IRS myself, I tried Claimyr out of desperation. I literally got through to an IRS agent in 20 minutes after spending HOURS trying on my own. The agent confirmed that I needed to make a separate payment even though I'd submitted bank info with my return. She walked me through setting up a payment plan since I couldn't pay my full balance at once. Saved me from what would have been a major headache and potential penalties. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!
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Aaron Lee
Just to add another option - you can mail a check with Form 1040-V payment voucher to the IRS. I always do this because I like having the paper trail. Just make sure to mail it with enough time before the deadline (I'd say at least a week or two before April 15). Write your SSN and "2024 Form 1040" on the check itself. It's old-school but it works!
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Chloe Mitchell
•Doesn't mailing a check risk it getting lost? I'd be nervous about not having proof they received it. Do you request delivery confirmation or something?
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Aaron Lee
•I always send it certified mail with return receipt requested. It costs a few extra dollars but gives me proof that they received it. I also keep copies of everything including the check before I send it. You're right to be concerned about it getting lost - that's why I never just drop it in a mailbox. The return receipt has saved me once when there was a question about whether my payment was received on time. I could prove exactly when they got it.
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Michael Adams
For anyone else reading this - the EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) is my go-to for tax payments. It's free and gives you an immediate confirmation number. You have to enroll ahead of time though (takes about a week to get set up), so it's too late for this year if you haven't already enrolled. https://www.eftps.gov
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Natalie Wang
•EFTPS is what I use too! So much easier than the other options once you're set up. Plus you can schedule payments in advance if you want to wait until closer to the deadline.
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Connor Gallagher
Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else in this situation - I made the same mistake last year thinking the IRS would automatically withdraw my payment since I provided bank info during filing. They don't! What worked for me was using IRS Direct Pay (it's free and you can find it at irs.gov/payments). It pulls directly from your checking or savings account and gives you an immediate confirmation number. The whole process took maybe 5 minutes. One tip: make sure you have your AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) from your return handy when you set up the payment - the system asks for it to verify your identity. Also, if you can't pay the full amount right away, you can set up a payment plan through the same system. Just don't wait until the last minute since it can take a day or two to process. The key thing is that filing your return and paying what you owe are two separate steps. Filing just tells them how much you owe - paying actually settles the debt. Hope this helps!
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Amara Eze
•This is really helpful, thank you! I had no idea that filing and paying were completely separate processes. I've been doing my own taxes for a few years now but this is the first time I've owed money instead of getting a refund, so I was totally confused about the next steps. One quick question - when you say it can take a day or two to process, does that mean I need to make the payment a few days before April 15th to be safe? I don't want to cut it too close and accidentally miss the deadline because of processing delays. Also, do you happen to know if there are any fees for using IRS Direct Pay, or is it completely free like you mentioned?
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Ella rollingthunder87
•Great questions! IRS Direct Pay is completely free - no fees at all. That's one of the main advantages over using a credit/debit card, which can have processing fees of 1.87-1.99% of your payment amount. As for timing, I'd recommend making your payment at least 2-3 business days before April 15th to be safe. While the IRS considers payments made by 11:59 PM ET on the due date as timely, you don't want to risk any technical glitches or processing delays on the last day when everyone is scrambling to pay. The processing time I mentioned is more about when the money actually leaves your bank account - the IRS system will give you immediate confirmation that your payment was submitted on time, which is what matters for avoiding penalties. But yes, better to be safe than sorry with the deadline!
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Evelyn Kelly
I went through this exact same situation last year and it was so stressful! Like others have mentioned, the IRS doesn't automatically withdraw payment even when you provide banking info - that's only for refunds. I ended up using IRS Direct Pay and it was super straightforward. The key things to remember: 1. You have until April 15th to make your payment without penalties 2. Direct Pay is completely free (no processing fees like credit cards) 3. You'll need your AGI from your tax return to verify your identity 4. You get an immediate confirmation number for your records Since you filed about 10 days ago, you still have plenty of time. Don't stress too much - this is a really common confusion! I'd recommend making the payment within the next week or so just to get it off your mind. The relief of having it done is worth not waiting until the last minute. The IRS website can be a bit overwhelming, but once you navigate to the Direct Pay section, the actual payment process is pretty simple. Just make sure you double-check all your account info before submitting!
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Liam Fitzgerald
•This is such a relief to read! I'm in almost the exact same boat as the original poster - first time owing taxes instead of getting a refund, and I was completely lost about what to do next. I kept checking my bank account expecting the money to disappear automatically, but nothing happened. Your step-by-step breakdown is really helpful. I think I'll go ahead and make my payment this weekend through Direct Pay rather than waiting. Better to get it done early and have that peace of mind. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's nice to know I'm not the only one who was confused by this!
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Santiago Martinez
Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - you definitely need to make a separate payment! I made this exact mistake a few years ago and ended up with penalty fees because I thought the IRS would automatically withdraw the money. The good news is you still have time since you filed recently. I'd recommend using IRS Direct Pay like others mentioned - it's free and gives you instant confirmation. Just go to irs.gov/payments and look for the "Direct Pay" option. One thing I learned the hard way: don't wait until the last few days before April 15th. Even though Direct Pay processes quickly, you don't want to deal with any potential website issues when thousands of people are trying to pay at the last minute. I now make my payment within a week of filing just to avoid the stress. The whole "filing vs paying" distinction confused me too when I first owed taxes. Think of it this way: filing your return is like sending the IRS a bill that says "here's what I owe you," but actually paying is a separate transaction where you settle that bill. Hope this helps ease your worries!
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Connor Richards
•This thread has been so helpful! I'm definitely going to use IRS Direct Pay this weekend. One quick question though - when you make the payment through Direct Pay, do you get any kind of receipt or documentation that you can save for your records? I like to keep everything organized for tax purposes, and I want to make sure I have proof that the payment went through in case there are any questions later. Also, does anyone know if there's a way to check the status of your payment after you submit it, or do you just have to trust that the confirmation number means it went through successfully?
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