- Filing Tax Returns After the Deadline
Filing Tax Returns After the Deadline
If you miss the original tax filing deadline in April, it's very important to file your income tax return as soon as possible, even if you have an amount due and are unable to pay the tax owed.
Please review the list below, or go to the IRS web site for more details about filing a late tax return.
- What happens if I file a tax return after the filing deadline?
- What happens if I don't file a tax return at all?
- Can I apply for an extension to file a tax return?
- Can I prepare and file a late tax return for a prior tax year?
- Can I still get my rebate (economic stimulus payment) after the tax filing deadline?
- Can I e-file a late tax return?
- When is the deadline for e-filing my return if I filed an extension?
- What if I'm out of the country at the time of the tax filing deadline?
- What are some other special situations?
If you have a tax amount due (you owe taxes), the IRS or state tax authority will send you a bill assessing penalties and interest. If you are due a tax refund, filing a late tax return will not result in a penalty. However you are at risk of losing your refund if you do not file the return within three years of the due date.
You will receive a letter from the IRS requesting that an income tax return be filed, particularly if the IRS has W-2's, 1099's, or similar documents indicating that you had reportable income during the year. The IRS will then follow up with a tentative assessment of tax.
Yes. However, you have to file Form 4868 - Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File BEFORE the tax filing deadline on April 15, 2008. You cannot apply for an extension after the tax filing deadline has passed.
Yes. If you are preparing a late tax return for a previous tax year, you can use TurboTax to file a late return. TurboTax Desktop software is available for prior tax years that includes Federal, State, and Business tax products. To learn how to purchase prior-year tax products, see Prior Year TurboTax Desktop Products.
Important: TurboTax software only works for the tax year for which it was designed. You may not use a preceding or subsequent year's version of the software to complete a late tax return. For example, you cannot prepare a 2005 income tax return using the 2007 TurboTax product.Yes. You can still get your rebate if you qualify, but you must FILE a tax return to get a rebate. The IRS says it will continue sending rebates until Dec. 31, 2008. See Tax Rebate Plan for more information about getting a tax rebate.
Yes. You can e-file a return at any time, up until October 15th. However, if you owe taxes, you may be subject to late filing fees if you did not file for an extension before the April 15th deadline.
If you filed a federal extension using Form 4868 for the current tax year, you'll be granted a six month extension to file your tax return. With an extension filed, the deadline to file your income tax return becomes October 15, 2008. If your e-filed return is rejected, you'll have approximately five days after this deadline to re-transmit your return.
State governments adhere to federal filing deadlines, with the exception of a few Eastern states.
If you are out of the country on the tax filing due date for your return, you are allowed two extra months to file your return and pay the amount due without requesting an extension. If you need more time, you can request four additional months by filing Form 4868 - Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File by June 16. But when filing this form you must pay the tax owed. You have until Oct. 15 to file your tax return.
"Out of the Country" taxpayer is defined as:
- You live outside of the United States and Puerto Rico and your main place of work is outside of the United States and Puerto Rico or
- You are in military or naval service outside of the United States or Puerto Rico
Here are some other things to keep in mind if you want to file a tax return after the filing deadline:
- If you are claiming the Earned Income Credit (EIC), you must file a tax return to claim the credit.
- If you have not received Form W-2, or you believe your Form W-2 is incorrect, contact the IRS for a resolution.
- If you cannot pay the amount of taxes owed, you should file your tax return anyway before the deadline and pay as much as you can to avoid additional penalties. The IRS will send you a bill or notice for the balance due. In some cases the IRS can offer alternative account resolutions if a taxpayer cannot pay in full with the return. See the IRS Web page Installment Agreements for more information.
- If you are self-employed, you must file returns reporting self-employment income within three years of the original filing deadline in order to receive Social Security credits toward your retirement.
