Here's what to do if you missed the federal tax deadline (2024)

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The federal tax deadline was April 15 for most filers — and if you missed it, you should file your return and pay your balance as soon as possible, experts say.

If you still owe taxes for 2023, you'll continue racking up penalties and interest until you file and pay your outstanding balance, according to the IRS.

The late filing penalty is 5% of your unpaid balance per month or partial month, capped at 25% of your balance. The fee for failure to pay is 0.5% per month or partial month, with a maximum fee of 25% of unpaid taxes. Interest is based on thecurrent rates.

"The longer you wait to file, the bigger the risk of higher penalties and interest from the IRS and state," said Mark Steber, chief tax information officer at Jackson Hewitt.

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However, that doesn't mean you should rush to file a return if you're still missing key information, like tax forms for your investments or other earnings.

"A return needs to be completely accurate," Steber said. "No guessing or estimating."

With missing information, the IRS could flag your tax return for audit, processing could be delayed or you could receive an agency notice.

Still, "file an accurate return as soon as you're able," Steber suggested.

Of course, some filers in disaster areas automatically have more time to file federal returns and pay taxes owed.

How to make a late payment for your taxes

There are several online choices for late tax payments, including IRS Direct Pay and your IRS online account.

If you can't pay your tax balance in full, you have "various payment options," including payment plans, according to the IRS.

IRS online payment plans, or "installment agreements," include:

  • Short-term payment plan:This may be available if you owe less than $100,000 including tax, penalties and interest. You have up to 180 days to pay in full.
  • Long-term payment plan:This may be available if your balance is less than$50,000 including tax, penalties and interest. You must pay monthly, and you have up to 72 months to pay off the balance.

You could also qualify for first-time penalty abatement, which is like a "'get out of jail free' request," according to Nicole DeRosa, tax partner at accounting firm Wiss & Company.

However, eligibility depends on the type of penalty and your past compliance with the IRS, she said.

Here's what to do if you missed the federal tax deadline (1)

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Here's what to do if you missed the federal tax deadline (2024)

FAQs

Here's what to do if you missed the federal tax deadline? ›

The deadline to file an extension is the same as the deadline to file taxes. Unfortunately, if you've missed the date to file your tax return, you've also passed the deadline to file an extension. If the filing deadline has passed, you should file your return as soon as possible to avoid penalties.

What to do if you missed the tax deadline? ›

Taxpayers who missed the April tax filing and payment deadline should file as soon as they can. The IRS offers resources to help those who may be unable to pay their tax bill in total. Those who missed the deadline to file but owe taxes should file quickly to minimize penalties and interest.

What happens if you don't file your taxes by April 18th? ›

An extension to file is not an extension to pay. An extension to file provides an additional six months with a new filing deadline of Oct. 16. Penalties and interest apply to taxes owed after April 18 and interest is charged on tax and penalties until the balance is paid in full.

How much is a missed tax deadline fee? ›

If you owe the government money and fail to file your 2023 tax return by the due date, the IRS assesses a failure-to-file penalty. This penalty is 5% of your unpaid taxes for each whole or partial month your return is late. For example, if you originally owe $1,000, your failure-to-file penalty would be $50 a month.

What happens if you forget to file federal taxes? ›

If you owe money and fail to file your taxes on time, you'll likely be assessed what's called a Failure to File Penalty. The penalty is 5% of your unpaid tax liability for each month your return is late, up to 25% of your total unpaid taxes.

Is it OK to file taxes after the deadline? ›

Penalties for filing late can mount up at a rate of 5% of the amount of tax due for each month (or portion thereof) that you're late. If you're more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $100 or 100% of the tax due with the return, whichever is less.

Is there a grace period after tax deadline? ›

If you're going to be late (even by a day), make sure to file for an automatic extension. While you'll still have to fill out and file as much of your 1040 as you can (as well as pay your estimated taxes), you'll have until October 15 of that year to finish the tax-filing process.

Can I skip a year of filing taxes? ›

It's illegal. The law requires you to file every year that you have a filing requirement. The government can hit you with civil and even criminal penalties for failing to file your return.

What happens if you file taxes late but don't owe? ›

Those individuals will not face a penalty for filing their taxes late. This is assuming that you eventually do file your taxes, since failing to file entirely can be seen as tax evasion. Just because you won't be penalized does not mean you shouldn't attempt to be timely on your tax filings.

How late can I file taxes? ›

If you can't file your taxes or pay the IRS what you owe by April 15, you should apply for an automatic six-month filing extension and try to send a partial payment by Monday.

What if I miss the estimated tax deadline? ›

If you missed a quarterly tax payment, the IRS automatically charges you 0.5% of the amount that you didn't pay for each month that you don't pay, up to 25%. To find out how much you owe up to this point, you can use a tax penalty calculator.

What happens if you don't meet the tax extension deadline? ›

If you filed for an extension and miss the October deadline, here's what you can expect to happen: You may owe a late-filing penalty. The IRS can hit you with a late-filing penalty of 5% of the amount due for every month or partial month your tax return is late, up to 25% of the amount due. Internal Revenue Service.

What is the penalty for filing income tax after due date? ›

If you miss the July 31 deadline for filing your ITR for the financial year 2023-24, you can still file a belated return until December 31, 2024, albeit with a penalty. The penalty varies based on your income level, up to ₹5,000 for higher earners and ₹1,000 for those with taxable income up to ₹5 lakhs.

How far can the IRS go back for not filing taxes? ›

How far back can the IRS go to audit my return? Generally, the IRS can include returns filed within the last three years in an audit.

How far back do you get if you file unfiled taxes? ›

HOW FAR BACK CAN THE IRS GO FOR UNFILED TAXES? The IRS can go back six years to audit and assess additional taxes, penalties, and interest for unfiled taxes. However, there is no statute of limitations if you failed to file a tax return or if the IRS suspects you committed fraud.

Can I file 3 years of taxes at once? ›

Yes, you can file all three years, but you'll have to get going on 2022. All back tax returns mut be filed. Refunds can only be claimed for up to three years back. 2020 will have to be filed by April 15th, 2024 to get a refund.

What happens if I file my taxes late and I am due a refund? ›

There is no penalty for failure to file if you are due a refund. However, you cannot obtain a refund without filing a tax return. If you wait too long to file, you may risk losing the refund altogether.

What happens if you miss estimated tax deadline? ›

If you missed a quarterly tax payment, the IRS automatically charges you 0.5% of the amount that you didn't pay for each month that you don't pay, up to 25%. To find out how much you owe up to this point, you can use a tax penalty calculator.

Can I still file my taxes after April 15th? ›

Can I file electronically after April 15? Yes, electronically filed tax returns are accepted until November. The specific cutoff date in November is typically announced in October in the QuickAlerts Library.

How do I file for tax extension after deadline? ›

If you need more time to file your taxes, request an extension by the April tax filing due date. This gives you until October 15 to file without penalties. Make sure you pay any tax you owe by the April filing date. The extension is only for filing your return.

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