You're staring at a pile of 1099s and receipts, and the calendar is mocking you. It’s April. The air feels heavy with the scent of unfiled paperwork and cold coffee. Honestly, it happens to the best of us. Whether you’re waiting on a K-1 from a complex partnership or you just plain forgot that time moves forward, knowing how to get extension on taxes is basically a survival skill. It's not a "get out of jail free" card, but it is a very effective "get out of a late-filing penalty" card.
Most people think the IRS is this rigid, unmoving monolith. While they aren't exactly known for their sense of humor, they are surprisingly chill about giving you more time to file. They just want their money. If you tell them you need six more months to get your ducks in a row, they usually just say, "Fine, see you in October."
But here is the catch. And it is a big one.
An extension to file is not an extension to pay.
If you owe Uncle Sam five grand and you don't send it by the April deadline, the interest starts ticking. You can file Form 4868 and get until October 15th to send in the actual paperwork, but the check—or the digital transfer—needs to happen now. If you don't pay at least 90% of your actual tax liability by the original deadline, the IRS will hit you with a failure-to-pay penalty. It’s about 0.5% per month. That adds up fast.
The Form 4868 breakdown
You don't need a lawyer. You don't even really need an accountant to do this part for you, though it helps if your situation is messy. To get that six-month cushion, you're looking at IRS Form 4868. It’s officially titled the "Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return."
The word "automatic" is the most important part of that sentence.
🔗 Read more: Stock Market Today Hours: Why Timing Your Trade Is Harder Than You Think
As long as you fill it out correctly and submit it by the tax deadline (usually April 15, unless it falls on a weekend or Emancipation Day), you're in. You don't have to explain why you're late. You don't have to apologize. You don't have to tell them your dog ate your W-2. You just ask.
You can do this through the IRS Free File site. Most tax software—think TurboTax, H&R Block, or FreeTaxUSA—has a big "I need more time" button that handles this. If you’re old school, you can mail a paper form. But honestly? Don't. Mail is slow. The IRS is currently dealing with backlogs that make a DMV line look like a sprint. E-file the extension. You’ll get an email confirmation within minutes, and you can breathe again.
Why you might actually want to wait
Sometimes, filing late is actually the smart move. Take the 2023 tax season, for example. There were major legislative changes and disaster relief extensions for folks in places like California and parts of the South. If you rushed to file, you might have missed out on specific credits or had to file an amended return later, which is a nightmare.
Wait if you’re missing documents.
Wait if you’re self-employed and your bookkeeping is a disaster.
Wait if you think a new law might affect your bottom line and you need more time to digest the guidance.
There’s a nuance here that experts like Nina Olson, the former National Taxpayer Advocate, have pointed out for years: accuracy beats speed every single time. A rushed return is an audited return. Or at least, a return that triggers a "math error" notice, which is the IRS version of a "please explain yourself" letter.
The "Payment as Extension" Trick
Here is a pro tip that many people miss. You don't actually have to file Form 4868 if you pay your estimated tax electronically. If you go to the IRS Direct Pay website or use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), you can select "Extension" as your reason for payment.
💡 You might also like: Kimberly Clark Stock Dividend: What Most People Get Wrong
When you do that, the IRS automatically grants you the extension. No extra form required. You just make a payment, keep the confirmation number, and you're good until October. It’s the cleanest way to handle the process because it solves both problems at once: you’ve paid what you owe, and you’ve secured your extra time.
What about state taxes?
This is where things get tricky. Every state is its own little kingdom.
In some places, like Wisconsin or Alabama, an approved federal extension automatically gives you a state extension. You don't have to do a thing.
In other states, like New York or Pennsylvania, you have to file a separate state-specific form.
If you live in a state with income tax, do not assume they follow the IRS rules. Check your state's Department of Revenue website. Search for "extension." If you forget this step, you might find yourself with a federal extension but a "failure to file" notice from your state governor. That’s a bad day.
Misconceptions that cost people money
A common myth is that filing an extension increases your audit risk. There is zero evidence for this. In fact, some tax pros argue—anecdotally, of course—that filing in October might actually lower your risk because the IRS has already met its "quota" for the year. That's probably a bit of an urban legend, but the point stands: an extension is a neutral act. It doesn’t put a target on your back.
Another mistake? Thinking you can't get an extension if you can't pay.
If you are broke, file the extension anyway.
The penalty for failing to file is ten times higher than the penalty for failing to pay. The late-filing penalty is 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month that a tax return is late. The late-payment penalty is only 0.5%.
If you can't pay, file the form, get the extension, and then look into a Payment Plan (Form 9465). The IRS is surprisingly willing to work with people who are proactive. They are ruthless toward people who just disappear.
📖 Related: Online Associate's Degree in Business: What Most People Get Wrong
Special cases for expats and military
If you’re a U.S. citizen living abroad, you actually get an automatic two-month extension to June 15th without even asking. You don't even need to file Form 4868 to get those first two months. However, interest still accrues from April 15th.
Military members serving in combat zones get even more leeway. Their deadlines are typically pushed back to 180 days after they leave the combat zone. If that’s you, thank you for your service, and breathe easy—the IRS isn't your biggest problem right now.
Actionable steps for right now
If the deadline is approaching and you are nowhere near finished, do exactly this:
- Estimate your total tax liability. Look at last year's return. Look at your income for this year. Are you making more? Less? Use a quick online calculator.
- Check your withholding and estimated payments. See how much you've already sent to the IRS through your paycheck or quarterly payments.
- Go to IRS Direct Pay. Choose "Extension" as the payment type.
- Pay the difference. If you think you'll owe $2,000, send the $2,000.
- Confirm your state's rules. Do a quick search for "[Your State] tax extension form" and see if your federal filing covers you or if you need to click another button.
- Set a new deadline. Do not wait until October 14th. October 15th is the absolute wall. If you miss that, the "automatic" part of the extension vanishes, and you're back in penalty land.
The goal here isn't just to delay. It's to give yourself the space to be accurate. Tax laws change. Life gets messy. Taking the extra time to ensure your deductions are legitimate and your income is reported correctly is the best way to keep the IRS out of your mailbox for the rest of the year. Filing an extension is a tool. Use it.
Next Steps for Accuracy
Once you have secured your extension, gather all 1099-NEC and 1099-K forms, as these are often the source of IRS matching errors. Review your previous year's Schedule C or Itemized Deductions to identify missing categories. If your income exceeded $200,000 or involved cryptocurrency transactions, consider using the extra time to consult a CPA, as these areas remain high-priority for IRS enforcement in 2026.