Request an Extension to File (Form 4868) · United States

Bring these documents

• Estimated tax liability for the year[5]Required

  You must estimate what you owe and pay it by April 15. A rough estimate based on last year's return is acceptable.

• Social Security Number (or ITIN)[1]Required
• Spouse's SSN if filing jointly[1]If applicable
• Bank routing + account number (if paying with extension)[6]If applicable

  IRS Direct Pay is the no-fee option. Card payments charge ~1.85% processor fee.

Step by step

1. 1

   Estimate your tax liability before you do anything else[5]

   Use last year's return as a starting point. The IRS doesn't require precision — they want a good-faith estimate. Underestimating by a lot can void the extension.

   Open official page Source: irs.gov
2. 2

   Pay what you owe by the April deadline — that auto-grants the extension[2]

   The simplest path: pay your estimated balance via IRS Direct Pay and check the box for 'Form 4868 / extension'. Doing this submits the extension automatically — you don't need to file the form separately.

   Pay + extend with Direct Pay → Source: irs.gov
3. 3

   Or e-file Form 4868 through IRS Free File[1]

   If you'd rather submit the form without paying, you can e-file Form 4868 free at IRS.gov even if your income exceeds the Free File threshold.

   E-file 4868 free → Source: irs.gov
4. 4

   Save your confirmation[5]

   Direct Pay sends an emailed confirmation; e-file software gives an acceptance code. Keep both — they prove timely filing if the IRS questions it later.

   Open official page Source: irs.gov
5. 5

   File the actual return by October 15[3]

   The extension gives you until October 15 (or the next business day) to file. Missing this deadline triggers a 5% per month Failure-to-File penalty (capped at 25%) on top of any unpaid tax.

   Open official page Source: irs.gov

Common reasons this gets rejected

• Thinking the extension also extends the time to pay

  Extension extends time to FILE only. If you owe and don't pay by April 15, interest and a 0.5% per month Failure-to-Pay penalty start immediately.

• Wildly underestimating tax liability

  If your estimate is far off (e.g., paying $0 when you owe $10,000), the IRS can deem the extension invalid and assess the late-filing penalty back to April 15.

• Forgetting your state extension

  A federal Form 4868 does NOT extend your state return. Some states grant automatic extensions when you file federal; most require a separate state extension form.

• Missing the October deadline

  October 15 is the absolute deadline with an extension. Miss it and the Failure-to-File penalty (5% per month) kicks in retroactively.

Talk to a human

Sources

1. [1]Form 4868 — IRS
2. [2]IRS Direct Pay (free + auto-extension)
3. [3]When to File
4. [4]Failure-to-File / Failure-to-Pay Penalties
5. [5]https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return
6. [6]https://www.irs.gov/payments