Tax day is April 18. That means if you haven’t filed your taxes yet, you’re running out of time.
Even if you asked for an extension for more time to file your taxes, that still doesn’t change the April 18 deadline to pay the IRS.
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“It’s only an extension to file,” said Octavio Saenz, an IRS Spokesperson. “It’s not an extension to pay.”
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Saenz recommends paying as much as you can now, even if you don’t plan on finishing your filing until later this year.
With all the documents needed for a tax return, it can be a complicated process. The IRS has several free tools that you can use to help, including its Free File program.
The program allows anyone who made less than $73,000 in 2021 to use tax software for free.
“The software does everything for you and guides you and helps you maximize your deductions and your credits,” said Saenz. “You can choose between 10 different partners that help us help you.”
Not having all the documents is a common reason people avoid doing their taxes. Saenz says by now you should have all the documents you need to find out if you have a tax bill you owe, or if you should expect a refund.
If you have lost some of those documents you can find them on the IRS website under “Online Account.” That’s because when you are sent a document for your taxes, that same information is also sent to the IRS.
The IRS is also warning people to watch out for tax scams. Remember that the IRS will always send a letter first, instead of reaching out via an email or text message.
