Tax Tip 2023-54: Missed the Tax Day deadline? Here’s what taxpayers should do

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sent this bulletin at 04/20/2023 11:58 AM EDT

IRS Tax Tips

April 20, 2023

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2023-54

Missed the Tax Day deadline? Here’s what taxpayers should do

Taxpayers who missed the recent April filing and payment deadline should know their obligations and the possible consequences if they don’t file or have an overdue tax bill.

Taxpayers who owe tax
Tax owed and not paid by April 18, 2023, is subject to penalties and interest. Anyone who didn't file and owes tax should file a return as soon as they can and pay as much as they can to reduce penalties and interest. Electronic filing options, including IRS Free File, are still available on IRS.gov through October 16, 2023, to prepare and file returns electronically.

Filing soon is very important because the late-filing and late-payment penalties and interest on unpaid taxes add up quickly. Some taxpayers filing after the deadline may qualify for penalty relief. For those charged a penalty, they may contact the IRS by calling the number on their notice and explain why they couldn't file and pay on time.

Taxpayers who have a history of filing and paying on time often qualify for administrative penalty relief. A taxpayer usually qualifies if they have filed and paid promptly for the past three years and meet other requirements. For details, taxpayers should visit the first-time penalty abatement page on IRS.gov.

If taxpayers find that they owe taxes, they can review their available payment options. The IRS has options for taxpayers who can't pay taxes they owe. Information on reducing the amount of interest owed is on the interest abatement page of IRS.gov.

Military personnel can still use MilTax
The military community can also file their taxes using MilTax, a free tax resource offered through the Department of Defense. Eligible taxpayers can use MilTax to electronically file a federal tax return and up to three state returns for free.

Some taxpayers have extra time
Some taxpayers may have extra time to file their tax returns and pay any taxes due. This includes some disaster victims, taxpayers living overseas, certain military service members and eligible support personnel in combat zones.

Taxpayers who weren’t required to file
Some people may choose not to file a tax return because they didn't earn enough money to be required to file. Generally, they won't receive a penalty if they are owed a refund, but they risk missing out on their refund.

Thank you for subscribing to IRS Tax Tips, an IRS e-mail service. For more information on federal taxes please visit IRS.gov.

This message was distributed automatically from the IRS Tax Tips mailing list. Please Do Not Reply To This Message.

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com.

This service is provided to you at no charge by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Tax Tip 2023-54: Missed the Tax Day deadline? Here’s what taxpayers should do

Useful Links:

News Essentials

The Newsroom Topics

IRS Resources

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2023-54