For most individual taxpayers the tax filing and payment deadline is Monday, April 18, 2022. Those who need more time to file can request an extension to file. Taxpayers must request an extension to file by April 18, or they may face a failure to file penalty. This extension gives them until October 17 to file their tax return. An extension to file is not an extension to pay. Most taxpayers must pay taxes by April 18 to avoid penalties and interest on the amount owed after that date. Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 19 to pay to file their returns due to the Patriots' Day holiday in those states. How to request an extension to file To get an extension to file, the IRS urges taxpayers to do one of the following:
File Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or by using IRS Free File on IRS.gov. Individual taxpayers, regardless of income, can use Free File to electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension.
Submit an electronic payment with Direct Pay, Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by debit, credit card or digital wallet and select Form 4868 or extension as the payment type. Taxpayers don’t need to file Form 4868 when making an electronic payment and indicating it’s for an extension. The IRS will automatically count it as an extension.
Some taxpayers may have extra time to file their tax returns and pay any taxes due. This includes some disaster victims, taxpayers living overseas, including members of the military, and eligible support personnel serving in combat zones.