What is Form 4868 extension of time to file?
Running out of time to file your taxes? Learn how IRS form 4868 can give you an extension and help you avoid penalties.
What is Form 4868 used for?
This form is the IRS document you fill out to obtain an automatic extension to file your tax return. IRS extensions don’t buy you extra time to pay the taxes you owe, but they can extend the deadline to fill out and send in the paperwork.
Instructions to know before filling out IRS Form 4868.
You may need to file a 4868 form if you have not received all the documents necessary to file your tax return. You can download Form 4868 from the IRS website.
If you know you’ll be receiving a refund, you don’t need to pay when you are filing an extension for taxes. If you think or know you’ll owe money, you should work on an estimate of what you’ll owe and pay the amount that is due when you send in your 4868.
The form doesn’t mandate a signature, date, or reason for requesting an extension.
In order to legally gain the extension, be sure to submit your Form 4868 by the regular April tax filing date.
Now that you know a little more about what this document is, you may want to know how to fill out Form 4868.
What to fill out on the IRS Form 4868.
Form 4868 is only half a page, and the form itself is rather straightforward. It just asks for a few pieces of personal information:
- Name
- Address
- Social security numbers for both you and your spouse (if applicable)
- Estimate of total tax liability for the previous year
- Total tax payments
- Estimated taxes due
- The amount you plan to pay
Once you fill in the blanks and submit the form, the IRS will consider giving you an extension on filing your taxes. Typically, you can extend your tax due date by a maximum of six months, but there are some exceptions.
Can I fill out Form 4868 online?
You can easily fill out Form 4868 online using Adobe Acrobat online services.
Use these steps to fill out your form:
- Upload your file to the online PDF filler tool by clicking the “Select a file” button or dragging and dropping a file into the drop zone.
- After Acrobat uploads the file, sign in to complete the fillable form.
- Use the tools in the Sign panel to fill in the form fields.
- Click Next.
- Download your completed form.
Your Form 4868 PDF is now completed and ready to be sent to the IRS.
What happens if I don’t file Form 4868 to request an extension?
If you don’t meet the IRS Form 4868 extension of time to submit, you will have to pay a late filing penalty of 5% of the amount due for every month or part of the month the return exceeds the deadline. If your return is over 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $435 or the amount that is due, whichever is less.
Fill and sign your Form 4868 PDF using Adobe Acrobat.
Most tax forms, including Form 4868, can be downloaded from the internet as a PDF. To save the aggravation of printing, signing, and scanning the document, you can fill and sign the form electronically with PDF editing software like Adobe Acrobat.
Electronic signatures are quick, easy, and count as legal signatures. That helps make filling out your tax forms a breeze. You can even edit PDFs online without needing to download any additional software.
Alternatively, you can print your tax forms, fill them out with a pen, and then digitize your tax documents using your smartphone for easy organization and submission.
More resources around IRS forms and finances.
After learning about IRS Form 4868, here are additional resources for you to explore:
- Learn how to scan receipts for taxes.
- Learn about Form 8822.
- Discover what a 1040 form is for tax extensions.
- Discover how to scan a document or PDF of Form 4868 for safekeeping.
Discover what more you can do with Acrobat and Acrobat online services to simplify working with PDF tax forms.
