How long do i have to pay taxes after filing

File all tax returns that are due, regardless of whether or not you can pay in full. File your past due return the same way and to the same location where you would file an on-time return. 

If you have received a notice, make sure to send your past due return to the location indicated on the notice you received.

Why You Should File Your Past Due Return Now

Avoid interest and penalties

File your past due return and pay now to limit interest charges and late payment penalties.

Claim a Refund

You risk losing your refund if you don't file your return. If you are due a refund for withholding or estimated taxes, you must file your return to claim it within 3 years of the return due date. The same rule applies to a right to claim tax credits such as the Earned Income Credit.

We hold income tax refunds in cases where our records show that one or more income tax returns are past due. We hold them until we get the past due return or receive an acceptable reason for not filing a past due return.

Protect Social Security Benefits

If you are self-employed and do not file your federal income tax return, any self-employment income you earned will not be reported to the Social Security Administration and you will not receive credits toward Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

Avoid Issues Obtaining Loans

Loan approvals may be delayed if you don't file your return. Copies of filed tax returns must be submitted to financial institutions, mortgage lenders/brokers, etc., whenever you want to buy or refinance a home, get a loan for a business, or apply for federal aid for higher education.

If You Owe More Than You Can Pay

If you cannot pay what you owe, you can request an additional 60-120 days to pay your account in full through the Online Payment Agreement application or by calling 800-829-1040; no user fee will be charged. If you need more time to pay, you can request an installment agreement or you may qualify for an offer in compromise.

What If You Don’t File Voluntarily

Substitute Return 

If you fail to file, we may file a substitute return for you. This return might not give you credit for deductions and exemptions you may be entitled to receive. We will send you a Notice of Deficiency CP3219N (90-day letter) proposing a tax assessment. You will have 90 days to file your past due tax return or file a petition in Tax Court. If you do neither, we will proceed with our proposed assessment. If you have received notice CP3219N you can not request an extension to file. 

If any of the income listed is incorrect, you may do the following:

• Contact us at 866-681-4271 to let us know.
• Contact the payer (source) of the income to request a corrected Form W-2 or 1099.
• Attach the corrected forms when you send us your completed tax returns.

If the IRS files a substitute return, it is still in your best interest to file your own tax return to take advantage of any exemptions, credits and deductions you are entitled to receive. The IRS will generally adjust your account to reflect the correct figures.

Collection and Enforcement Actions

The return we prepare for you (our proposed assessment) will lead to a tax bill, which, if unpaid, will trigger the collection process. This can include such actions as a levy on your wages or bank account or the filing of a notice of federal tax lien.

If you repeatedly do not file, you could be subject to additional enforcement measures, such as additional penalties and/or criminal prosecution.

Help Filing Your Past Due Return

For filing help, call 800-829-1040 or 800-829-4059 for TTY/TDD. 

If you need wage and income information to help prepare a past due return, complete Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, and check the box on line 8. You can also contact your employer or payer of income.

If you need information from a prior year tax return, use Get Transcript to request a return or account transcript.

Get our online tax forms and instructions to file your past due return, or order them by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) or 800-829-4059 for TTY/TDD. 

If you are experiencing difficulty preparing your return, you may be eligible for assistance through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. See Free Tax Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers for more information.

Already Filed Your Past Due Return

If you received a notice, you should send us a copy of the past due return to the indicated address.

It takes approximately 6 weeks for us to process an accurately completed past due tax return.

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Whether you were waiting on a delayed tax form or simply procrastinating to pay Uncle Sam, there are many reasons you may have missed the mid-April tax deadline. No matter why you delayed, the IRS encouraged taxpayers to submit Form 4868 to request an extension by the mid-April due date.

For the 2022 tax season, the IRS estimates 19 million taxpayers filed for an extension. A tax extension gives you more time to file, typically until Oct. 15 unless the date falls on a weekend or holiday. Because the 15th is on a Friday this year, the extended deadline is Monday, Oct. 17.

Some taxpayers who didn’t meet the April due date will have trouble getting their tax returns in by the extension deadline, too. If you were given more time but are still unable to file, here’s what you need to know.

What Is the Penalty for Missing a Tax Deadline?

Generally, if you miss the filing due date or fail to file by the tax extension deadline, the IRS may charge a failure-to-file penalty. The penalty is based on your unpaid taxes, and the IRS charges 5% of your taxes due for every month or partial month your tax return is not filed. However, the maximum amount the IRS can charge you is capped at 25% of any taxes owed.

Let’s say you owe $10,000 in taxes. The IRS will charge you $500 for every month you don’t file your taxes. But the most the agency may charge you is $2,500.

It’s important to know that if you expect a tax refund and have yet to file your tax return, the IRS won’t charge you a penalty for late filing. But if you expect you may owe penalties for filing your tax return late, you should consider speaking with a tax professional before filing. You may be responsible for penalties plus interest.

If You Owe, Pay as Much as You Can To Reduce Penalties

Although there’s no penalty for submitting your taxes late when you’re expecting a refund, the IRS may assess penalties if you owe taxes.

If you think you’ll miss the extended tax deadline, you should pay as much as possible as soon as you can. Taking this step can reduce any interest or penalties on your tax account, including not only the failure-to-file penalty but also the IRS failure-to-pay penalty.

The failure-to-pay penalty is assessed if you don’t pay taxes reported on your return by the original due date or an approved extended deadline, such as those granted for a federally declared disaster. Taxes that remain unpaid for a month (or part of a month) will be assessed a failure-to-pay penalty of 0.5% per month.

In months where both the failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties apply, the failure-to-file penalty is reduced by 0.5% (the same amount as the failure-to-pay penalty). So instead of a 5% failure-to-file penalty for the month, you’ll be charged 4.5%.

For example, let’s say you didn’t file or pay your taxes of $5,000. If the IRS assesses both the failure-to-file and a failure-to-pay penalty in one month, you will owe a total penalty of 5% or $250 (that is, 5% of $5,000). Basically, that’s a 0.5% failure-to-pay penalty and a 4.5% failure-to-pay penalty for one month.

Even when you file a timely extension with the IRS, remember that it doesn’t extend the deadline to pay, nor will it prevent penalties. To avoid incurring additional interest or penalties, you should always estimate your taxes and pay any amount due by the original tax deadline.

To get a better understanding of how penalties may affect your account, speak to a tax professional to determine which penalties may apply to your tax situation.

Request Your Tax Refund Before You Lose It

It’s a good idea to file your taxes after the due date even if you expect a refund, but you don’t want to wait too long.

The IRS usually allows you three years from the due date of your tax return to request a refund. After this time, you’ll forfeit your tax refund. Your 2021 tax return was due on April 18, 2022, so you have three years from that date to request a refund. If you don’t file your 2021 return by the April tax deadline in 2025, you’ll lose your tax refund. The U.S. Treasury will own your money.

Note that if you don’t owe money to the IRS but instead are owed money, the tax agency may still expect you to file a return.

If you’re missing any tax documents from a prior year, you can request them from your employer, bank or other third party, such as an educational institution or student loan provider. You can also request missing tax forms from the IRS by using the Get Transcript Online tool or creating an IRS online account. 

You Can Still File Your Taxes for Free After the Deadline

Most taxpayers who missed the April tax deadline—for any reason—can still file their taxes for free. But don’t wait too long.

The IRS offers its Free File Program, which currently allows any taxpayer with an adjusted gross income of $73,000 or less to file for free.

The Free File program guides taxpayers through a step-by-step process by answering simple questions. You can choose from a listing of tax software providers, such as TaxSlayer and TaxAct, to file. While you can file most federal forms for free, you may have to pay an additional fee for state taxes.

The IRS program is usually available until mid-October each year.

If your income is greater than $73,000, you can choose the IRS Free File Fillable Forms. But keep in mind that you’ll need to do more work to file. The free fillable forms allow you to file electronically, but provide limited guidance and calculations.

What If I Still Can’t Pay My Taxes?

While it’s always in your best interest to pay as soon as you can, there are some instances when you simply can’t do that. Here are a few options if you’re unable to pay in full.

1. Short-term payment plans. If you qualify, you’ll have 180 days to pay in full. There’s no fee to request this payment option, but interest and payments may continue to grow until your taxes are paid. You’ll qualify to apply online if you owe less than $100,000, including interest and penalties. You can set up a payment plan by using the IRS online payment agreement application or by calling 800-829-1040.

2. Monthly installment agreements. Often referred to as long-term payment plans, they allow you to make payments on your taxes in monthly installments. You qualify to apply online if you owe less than $50,000, including interest and penalties. Setup fees range from $31 to $130. Depending on your income, you may not be required to pay that fee.

3. Temporary delay in collection. The IRS can temporarily delay collection of a tax debt if you are unable to pay it. You may have to complete a “Collection Information Statement” (Form 433-F) in order to request this relief. Financial proof also is required. It’s important to realize that your balance will continue to increase due to penalties and interest.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When is it too late to file a prior year tax return?

The IRS doesn’t have a timeline in place for filing past-due returns; you can file a prior year tax return at any time. However, if you expect a tax refund, you need to file within three years of the due date to obtain your tax refund.

How long is a tax extension good for?

After filing a valid tax extension, you have until mid-October of the same year to file your tax return.

Do you lose your tax refund if you file late?

You won’t lose your refund for filing late as long as you file within three years of the original due date. If you don’t file within three years of the deadline, you can lose your tax refund.

What happens if you miss the tax deadline by one day?

The IRS may charge penalties and interest if you miss the tax deadline, and you can start to incur penalties as soon as the deadline has passed.

How long do you have to pay taxed?

Do you have to pay income tax right away?