You have three ways to get a federal extension, and all three work the same: request it by the original due date, and the IRS grants it automatically. Nobody reviews a reason because you do not give one.
The three ways
- E-file Form 4868 (individuals) or Form 7004 (businesses). Through tax software, a preparer, or an authorized e-file provider. You get an electronic acknowledgment, usually within hours. This is the one to use if you want proof.
- Pay and mark it as an extension. For individuals, making a payment through IRS Direct Pay, EFTPS, or a card processor and selecting "extension" as the reason counts as filing Form 4868. No separate form. The confirmation number is your proof.
- Mail the paper form. Postmarked by the due date. Use certified mail if you go this way, because the postmark is the only evidence you have.
What you need
Your name, address, and Social Security number (both spouses for a joint return, or the EIN for a business), an estimate of your total tax for the year, the amount you have already paid, and the amount you are paying with the request.
The estimate
It does not have to be right. It has to be reasonable. Use last year's return as the starting point and adjust for what changed. If you cannot estimate at all, the IRS still grants the extension, but interest and the late payment penalty run on whatever turns out to be unpaid.
Confirming it
E-filed: keep the acceptance record. Paid as an extension: keep the confirmation. Mailed: keep the receipt. The IRS does not send a letter saying your extension was approved. Silence is approval. A letter means something was wrong.
Common mistake
Filing the extension and then never filing the return. The extended deadline is real. Miss it and the failure-to-file penalty is computed from the original date, as if you never extended.
Ready to file it?
You can file a personal extension (Form 4868) or a business extension (Form 7004) online in a few minutes with TaxExtension.com, an IRS-authorized e-file provider operated by our publisher. The extension is automatic; the payment is still due on the original date.