Please see IRS Tax Tip 2017-45, April 11, 2017, Tips to Remember When Paying Federal Taxes for updated information. IRS Tax Tip 2011-68, April 6, 2011 If you owe taxes but can’t pay the full amount by the April 18 deadline you should still file your return on time and pay as much as you can to avoid penalties and interest. You should also contact the IRS to ask about alternative payment options. Here are three alternative payment options you may want to consider: Additional Time to Pay Based on your circumstances, you may be granted a short additional time to pay your tax in full. A brief additional amount of time to pay can be requested through the Online Payment Agreement application or by calling 800-829-1040. Taxpayers who request and are granted an additional 60 to 120 days to pay the tax in full generally will pay less in penalties and interest than if the debt were repaid through an installment agreement over a greater period of time. Installment Agreement You can apply for an IRS installment agreement using the Web-based Online Payment Agreement application on IRS.gov. This Web-based application allows taxpayers who owe $25,000 or less in combined tax, penalties and interest to self-qualify, apply for, and receive immediate notification of approval. You can also request an installment agreement before your current tax liabilities are actually assessed by using OPA. The OPA option provides you with a simple and convenient way to establish an installment agreement and eliminates the need for personal interaction with IRS and reduces paper processing. You may also complete and submit a Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request, make your request in writing, or call 1-800-829-1040 to make your request. For balances over $25,000, you are required to complete a financial statement to determine the monthly payment amount for an installment plan. For more complete information see Tax Topic 202, Tax Payment Options on the IRS.gov website. Pay by Credit or Debit Card To pay your Federal taxes by credit or debit card, you can use all major cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa). For information on paying your taxes electronically, including by credit or debit card, go to Electronic Payment Options Home Page and contact one of the service providers at its telephone number or Web site listed below and follow the instructions. There is no IRS fee for credit or debit card payments, but the processing companies charge a convenience fee or flat fee. If you are paying by credit card, the service providers charge a convenience fee based on the amount you are paying. If you are paying by debit card, the service providers charge a flat fee of $3.89 to $3.95. Do not add the convenience fee or flat fee to your tax payment. The processing companies are: Link2Gov Corporation: To pay by credit or debit card: 888-PAY-1040 (888-729-1040), www.pay1040.com RBS WorldPay, Inc. To pay by credit or debit card: 888-9PAY-TAX (888-972-9829), www.payUSAtax.com Official Payments Corporation: To pay by credit or debit card: 888-UPAY-TAX (888-872-9829), www.officialpayments.com/fed For more information about filing and paying your taxes, visit the 1040 Central page on the IRS.gov website or refer to the Form 1040 Instructions or IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax. You can download forms and publications at http://www.irs.gov or request a free copy by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). Links: Online Payment Agreement Application Electronic Payment Options www.officialpayments.com www.pay1040.com www.payUSAtax.com Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request (100K PDF) Payment Plans, Installment Agreements Partial Pay Installment Agreements What is an Offer in Compromise? Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax ( 4.09MB PDF) Subscribe to Tax Tips
