Hello filers, we take immense pleasure in welcoming you to our ExtensionTax Blog. Our blog posts are not fancy but they are informative for you to glue your eyes on to the screen. Today we would discuss about Personal Income Tax Return filed after the extended due date.

As you know that, the due date for federal income tax filing is  April 15th. However, if you are not ready with your documents you can always request for an automatic six months extension through form 4868. The bigger responsibility is to estimate your Personal Income tax and pay the dues before the due date while applying for an extension.

What Is Form 4868?

Form 4868 is an Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return and get six months extension for filing your income tax returns. You  don’t need to give any explanation, why you need an extension. All you need to do is to estimate the tax you owe to the IRS and pay your dues when you are requesting for an extension.

Do note, extensions are not denied, however, if you don’t include your payment you are still liable for penalties.

Extension Status after Six Months:

The IRS usually does not grant extensions of filing the respective form beyond six months. However, there are exceptions in certain cases, such as serving in a combat zone, living outside  the United States, but otherwise the late filing penalties start accumulating as and when the six months extension expires, even if you have paid the tax due.

Late Payment Penalty

The late payment penalty is usually ½ of 1 % of any tax (this does not include the estimated tax) not paid by April 15th 2014. The charges are applied to each month till the due is not paid or the part of the month the tax is unpaid. The maximum penalty is 25%. However, the late payment penalty will not be charged if you can highlight the reasonable cause for not paying on time.

Late Filing Penalty:

Late filing penalty is usually charged if the return is not filed after the due date, which includes extensions. The penalty is usually 5% of the amount due for each month till the payment is made or part of the month, your return is late. Maximum penalty charged by IRS is 25%. If your return is late for more than 60 days, the minimum penalty would be $135 or the balance of the tax due return, whichever is smaller. However, you might not owe the penalty if you have a reasonable explanation for filing late.

Willfully not filing tax return is a crime, you may also subject to criminal prosecution. Tax evasion, i.e. not paying taxes by the due date is generally more than a serious offense. So even if you find yourself unable to file by the extended due date, ensure that you pay the IRS at least 90% of what you owe to avoid serious criminal liability.

The due date for filing an extension through 4868 is around the corner. Taxpayers, it is time to buckle up and request extra time from IRS for filing Personal Income Tax Return if you are not done with your paper work. Ensure you pay at least 90% of your tax due while you apply for an extension. It will make your task easy.

If you have, any queries related to filing for an extension, do get in touch with our Tax Experts @ 1-866-245-3918 or simply shoot an email to support@extensiontax.com. You have invested your trust in us; it is our duty to serve you with the best.