{"id":43066,"date":"2026-04-15T17:11:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T17:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/?p=43066"},"modified":"2026-04-15T17:11:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T17:11:25","slug":"how-to-file-for-free-by-the-april-15-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/?p=43066","title":{"rendered":"How to file for free by the April 15 deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Xavier Lorenzo | Moment | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The federal tax deadline<\/a> is April 15 for most taxpayers, but if you’re not ready to file, there’s still time to request an IRS tax extension<\/a>, experts say.<\/p>\n

“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<\/a> on Tuesday. <\/p>\n

One option is filing a tax extension<\/a> via Form 4868<\/a>, 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<\/a>. The failure-to-file penalty<\/a> is 5% of your unpaid taxes monthly, up to 25%, while the failure-to-pay penalty<\/a>\u00a0is 0.5% of your balance monthly, with the same cap. <\/p>\n

You should estimate your total liability, subtract taxes paid and send the balance by the original due date, according to the IRS. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Read more CNBC personal finance coverage<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Roughly 30% of Americans said they expected to procrastinate on their taxes<\/a> this season, according to a survey from IPX1031, a real estate firm. The survey polled about 1,000 filers in January.<\/p>\n

But in many cases, last-minute filers don’t have the tax forms needed<\/a> for a complete and accurate return, experts say.<\/p>\n

“If you’re missing information, I would not suggest filing with what you’ve got” and then amending your return<\/a> later, said Tom O’Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals. <\/p>\n

Taxpayers often experience “long wait times” for the IRS to process amended returns<\/a> and issue refunds for those filings, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins<\/a> wrote in January. During fiscal year 2025, individuals waited an average of five months, while businesses had average delays of 13 months, she reported. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“I prefer an extension over an amended return,” said O’Saben.<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Here are some options to file for a tax extension this season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to file an IRS tax extension <\/h2>\n
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If you’re running out of time, there are ways to request a tax extension<\/a> for free, according to the IRS.<\/p>\n

One option is to make a tax payment online<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You can also file Form 4868 via IRS Free File<\/a>, which is a public-private partnership between the agency and several tax software companies. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Filers also have the option to mail Form 4868, but it must be postmarked by April 15, which isn’t guaranteed<\/a> by dropping it in your mailbox on Wednesday. For this choice, you could bring it to the post office and opt for certified mail<\/a>, which offers proof of mailing and a date stamp. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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