How to file a tax extension for free by the April 15 deadline

The federal tax deadline is April 15 for most taxpayers, but if you're not ready to file, there's still time to request an IRS tax extension, experts say."If you have not filed yet, don't panic. You still have many options," Candace Harden, senior tax analyst with the IRS, said during a webinar on Tuesday. One option is filing a tax extension via Form 4868, which pushes the due date to October 15. But you still must pay taxes by the original April 15 deadline to avoid penalties and interest. The failure-to-file penalty is 5% of your unpaid taxes monthly, up to 25%, while the failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% of your balance monthly, with the same cap. You should estimate your total liability, subtract taxes paid and send the balance by the original due date, according to the IRS. Roughly 30% of Americans said they expected to procrastinate on their taxes this season, according to a survey from IPX1031, a real estate firm. The survey polled about 1,000 filers in January.But in many cases, last-minute filers don't have the tax forms needed for a complete and accurate return, experts say."If you're missing information, I would not suggest filing with what you've got" and then amending your return later, said Tom O'Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals. Taxpayers often experience "long wait times" for the IRS to process amended returns and issue refunds for those filings, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins wrote in January. During fiscal year 2025, individuals waited an average of five months, while businesses had average delays of 13 months, she reported. "I prefer an extension over an amended return," said O'Saben.If you don't have all your tax forms, you should file an extension by April 15 with a "best guestimate" of your 2025 taxes owed, he said. Here are some options to file for a tax extension this season.If you're running out of time, there are ways to request a tax extension for free, according to the IRS.One option is to make a tax payment online and choose "extension" as the reason for your payment, which automatically submits Form 4868. You won't need additional forms, but you should save the confirmation for your records.You can also file Form 4868 via IRS Free File, which is a public-private partnership between the agency and several tax software companies. This season, the adjusted gross income cap is $89,000 for IRS Free File, but "there's no income limit for extensions," Harden said during the webinar on Tuesday. Filers also have the option to mail Form 4868, but it must be postmarked by April 15, which isn't guaranteed by dropping it in your mailbox on Wednesday. For this choice, you could bring it to the post office and opt for certified mail, which offers proof of mailing and a date stamp. Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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