Form 1040 Filing Deadline

Deadline/Due Date to E-file 1040 Form

The IRS Form 1040 is the official document that U.S. taxpayers use to file their annual income tax returns, below are a few important updates.

Deadline to file Form 1040 Online

April 15th

If you are a calendar year filer and your tax year ends on December 31st, the due date for filing your federal individual income tax return is April 15th of each year.

Deadline if abroad

June 15th

However, for US citizens living overseas, this deadline is automatically extended to June 15th.

If the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due date is delayed until the next business day. Your return is considered filed on time if the envelope is properly addressed, postmarked, and deposited in the mail by the due date. If the filer may need more time to file, they cane request an extension with Form 4868.

If you owe compensation taxes

If you expect to owe taxes for one or more previous tax years and you have not filed or paid the taxes owed, you will be assessed late fees and overdue payment fees.

If you are expecting a refund

If you are expecting a refund in one or more previous tax years and have not filed an IRS or state return, you are unlikely to file late and certainly will not be penalized for overdue payments.

What happens if I am late for tax time?

If you missed one of these important tax deadlines, you have options. These options depend on what time limit has passed and whether you owe or need to be repaid. If you have not filed your federal income tax return for this year or the previous year, you must file your return as soon as possible, regardless of the reason you did not file the required return.

Paying your taxes late

When your taxes are overdue, you must pay a late penalty. This amounts to an additional 0.5% of your unpaid taxes each month (up to a maximum of 25% of your total tax amount) until you pay your original tax invoice.

The fine for late filing is 5% of the unpaid taxes each month. This means that even if you can’t afford your current tax liability, you can still save on penalties by filing on time.

While it’s best to file and pay your taxes as soon as possible to minimize penalties, we have put together a guide to explain what happens if you don’t file your taxes.