15 Apr I won’t get my tax return done in time. What can I do?

Q. I won’t get my tax return done in time. What can I do?
— Upset

A. If you are unable to complete your 2024 tax return by April 15, you have the option to ask for an extension.

It would be a six-month extension, bringing your new due date to Oct. 15.

The IRS said the easiest way to request an extension is through IRS Free File. 

Alternatively, you can submit Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

The other option is to make an online payment at irs.gov/payments, and check the box that says you’re paying as part of filing an extension, the IRS said.

This is especially important because an extension to file is not an extension to pay, the agency said.

“Taxpayers are still obligated to pay taxes due on April 15, 2025, to avoid penalties and interest,” the IRS said. “Taxpayers who owe should either pay their full tax bill or at least pay what they can afford by the April 15 deadline.”

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This story was originally published in April 2025.

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