Frequently asked questions

A tax extension is a request to the IRS for more time to file your tax return. When granted, it gives you an automatic extension (generally six months) to submit the return without a late-filing penalty. You file a short form — 4868 for individuals, 7004 for businesses, or 8868 for nonprofits — instead of the full return.

No. An extension extends the time to file, not the time to pay. Any tax you owe is still due by the original deadline. To avoid interest and a failure-to-pay penalty, estimate what you owe and pay it when you request the extension. See our penalties guide for details.

Use Form 4868 if you file a personal Form 1040. Use Form 7004 for most businesses (C-corps, S-corps, partnerships, multi-member LLCs, estates and trusts). Use Form 8868 for tax-exempt organizations that file the 990 series. See pricing for a side-by-side comparison.

An extension must generally be filed by the original due date of the return — typically April 15 for individuals (Form 4868), March 15 for partnerships and S-corps, April 15 for C-corps (Form 7004), and May 15 for many calendar-year nonprofits (Form 8868). Dates shift for weekends and holidays. TODO(verify): confirm exact current-year dates. See our deadlines guide.

For all three forms it is generally an automatic six-month extension to file. For example, an individual extension typically moves the deadline from mid-April to mid-October. TODO(verify): confirm current-year extended deadlines.

A single flat fee per extension: Form 4868 (personal) is $4.95, and Form 7004 (business) and Form 8868 (nonprofit) are $9.95 each. Filing a business or nonprofit extension and need a personal one too? Add Form 4868 for just $3. No subscription, no hidden fees. See full pricing.

These extensions are automatic — the IRS grants them as long as the form is filed on time with accurate identifying information (and, for business or nonprofit returns that carry tax, a reasonable estimate). You do not need to give a reason. After we e-file, the IRS sends back an acknowledgment, typically within 24–48 hours.

For a personal extension: your name, address, SSN (and spouse SSN if filing jointly), and an estimate of your tax liability and payments. For a business or nonprofit extension: the entity name, address, EIN, the return type, and tax figures if the return carries tax. The wizard walks you through it step by step.

Yes. We transmit data over encrypted connections and submit directly to the IRS as an authorized e-file pathway. We do not store sensitive identifiers like your SSN or EIN in your browser, and we minimize what we retain after a filing is accepted. See our Privacy Policy.

If the IRS rejects your extension and we are unable to resolve the issue, we refund your filing fee. Full terms are on our Refund Policy page.