Frequently asked questions

A tax extension is a request to the IRS for more time to file a tax return. Most federal extension requests covered here are automatic when properly and timely filed. The extension is generally six months; an estate other than a bankruptcy estate or a trust filing Form 1041 receives a 5½-month extension. Form 5330 uses a separate discretionary extension procedure. The extension form depends on the return being extended: Form 4868 generally covers individual income tax returns, Form 7004 covers many business, estate, trust, and other returns, and Form 8868 covers certain exempt-organization, trust, and related returns and is also used to request an extension for Form 5330.

No. An extension extends the time to file, not the time to pay. Any tax you owe is still due by the original deadline, and interest plus a failure-to-pay penalty of 0.5% per month run on any unpaid balance from that date. Estimate what you owe and pay it when you request the extension. See does an extension extend the time to pay? and the penalties guide.

For most automatic extensions, you do not need to give a reason. The extension applies when the applicable form is properly completed and timely filed and any other requirements, such as properly estimating and timely paying tax when applicable, are satisfied. Form 5330 is different: the filer must request a discretionary extension and show circumstances supporting the request, and the IRS approves or denies it. In practice: send a complete, on-time form with an honest estimate of any tax, and you have your extension.

Use Form 4868 if you file a personal Form 1040. Use Form 7004 for most businesses (C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, multi-member LLCs) and for estates and trusts filing Form 1041. Use Form 8868 for eligible exempt-organization and related returns, including Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T, 1041-A, 4720, 5227, 6069, and 8870; it is also used under a separate procedure to request an extension for Form 5330. Form 990-N cannot be extended. We file Forms 7004 and 8868; this season we are not filing Form 4868, and the IRS offers free ways to get a personal extension. See pricing for a side-by-side comparison.

Generally, an extension request must be filed by the applicable return deadline. For calendar-year filers in the 2027 filing season (tax year 2026 returns): partnerships and S corporations must file Form 7004 by Monday, March 15, 2027; individuals (Form 4868), C corporations, and estates and trusts (Form 7004) by Thursday, April 15, 2027; and organizations filing calendar-year Forms 990, 990-EZ, or 990-PF generally by Monday, May 17, 2027. Special timing rules apply to certain Form 7004 filers, and a Form 8868 request to extend Form 5330 must be filed early enough for the IRS to consider and act on it before the return's normal due date; other returns extended with Form 8868 may have different original due dates. Fiscal-year filers use a set number of months after their year-end. Every date, with the extended due dates, is in the 2027 deadlines guide.

Six months for most returns. Form 4868 moves a calendar-year Form 1040 from April 15, 2027 to October 15, 2027. Form 7004 gives a calendar-year C corporation six months (to October 15, 2027) and a partnership or S corporation six months (to September 15, 2027). Form 8868 moves a calendar-year Form 990 to November 15, 2027. An estate other than a bankruptcy estate, or a trust filing Form 1041, receives a 5½-month extension — to September 30, 2027 for calendar-year filers. A bankruptcy estate filing Form 1041 receives a six-month extension.

Yes, and you should. A valid extension prevents the failure-to-file penalty from beginning during the extension period provided the return is filed by the extended due date. The failure-to-file penalty is generally 5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month a return is late, subject to applicable limits. The failure-to-file penalty is generally substantially higher than the failure-to-pay penalty, so filing the return or a valid extension on time remains important even if you cannot pay in full. Pay whatever you can with the extension to reduce the failure-to-pay penalty and interest, and set up an IRS payment plan for the rest. Details are in the penalties guide.

Generally, you cannot obtain an extension after the applicable extension request deadline. A timely electronically filed extension that is rejected may qualify for the IRS e-file transmission perfection period if it is corrected and retransmitted promptly. File the return itself as soon as possible — late-filing penalties are generally calculated by month or part of a month, so filing promptly can prevent additional penalty accrual. Our guide to a missed extension deadline covers what to do.

The most common causes are a name and EIN or SSN that do not match IRS records, the wrong tax year, or a duplicate — an extension for that return was already accepted. We tell you why it was rejected, help you correct it, and re-transmit at no charge. A rejected extension that is corrected and re-transmitted within the IRS's short correction window is treated as filed on time. If the IRS still will not accept it, we refund the fee. See our Refund Policy.

Not automatically. State extensions are separate, and the rules vary: some states accept the federal extension, some require their own form, and some grant the extension only if you pay what you owe by the original date. We file federal extensions only; check your state's revenue department for its rule.

A single flat fee per extension: Form 7004 (business) is $9.95 and Form 8868 (nonprofit) is $9.95. No subscription, no hidden fees. The IRS offers free personal extensions through IRS Free File, and an electronic payment on IRS.gov marked as an extension payment counts as filing Form 4868. We are not filing Form 4868 this season, so those free IRS options are the way to get a personal extension. 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, usually within a few hours and almost always within 24 hours.

For a Form 7004 or Form 8868 extension, you generally need the filer's legal name, address, taxpayer identification number, return type, tax year, and the tax, payment, and credit information requested on the applicable extension form. The wizard walks you through it step by step.

Yes. GrantExtension (operated by AdroitCode LLC) completed the IRS e-file application and suitability process and was approved as an Authorized IRS e-file Provider in 2026. Extensions are transmitted electronically to the IRS Modernized e-File (MeF) system, and you receive the official IRS acknowledgment for your filing.

Yes. We transmit data over encrypted connections directly to the IRS e-file system, and your SSN or EIN is encrypted at rest and never stored in your browser. We keep what's needed to file your extension and prove it was accepted — the return as transmitted, the IRS acknowledgment, and your payment record — encrypted, for three years after the return's due date, then delete it. Your SSN or EIN is never shown in full after filing. 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.