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If You Filed a Tax Extension, Your Oct. 15 Deadline Is Almost Here
By Martha C. White MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
The Oct. 15 tax extension deadline is approaching. Here’s what to know about filing, penalties, refunds and more.
If you filed for an extension with the IRS back in April, your deadline to file your 2025 federal tax return is Thursday, Oct. 15. Tax Day 2026 — the deadline for filing your 2025 taxes — was April 15. If you needed more time to complete your tax return, you would have had to file a request to the IRS for an automatic six-month extension.
Remember: Any federal taxes you owed were still due April 15. An extension only gives you more time to file your return, not pay your taxes, meaning you could face penalties and interest if you didn’t pay enough on time.
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The agency says taxpayers can file Form 4868 online, through a tax preparer or via mail. Alternatively, you can file for an extension via the IRS’s online payment portal or the agency’s IRS Free File tool. Although only people with incomes of $89,000 or lower are eligible to use Free File to file their taxes, taxpayers of any income level can use the program to request an automatic extension at no cost.
If you still haven’t filed your 2025 taxes, here’s all the important info you need to know before the deadline on Oct. 15.
Can I still file for free?
Yes, you can still file your taxes for free in October if you were eligible to do so in April. People with adjusted gross incomes of $89,000 or less qualify for IRS Free File, a public-private program the IRS runs with name-brand tax-prep companies.
If your income is over the limit, Free File Fillable Forms are available on the IRS website. Although there’s no cost and no income thresholds, it’s helpful to have some DIY experience with taxes, since the forms don’t come with the kind of guidance you would get from tax prep software.
Is it better to wait until October to file taxes?
The most important thing to know about an extension is that it only buys you more time to file your taxes — not more time to pay what you owe. If you owe the IRS money rather than being owed a refund, that payment was due April 15. (And remember, the IRS charges penalties for late tax filing as well as late payment.)
If you’re an independent contractor and were waiting to receive 1099s from parties with which you do business, getting an extension can be preferable to filing an amended return after that late paperwork arrives.
What if the estimated amount I paid in April is wrong?
Getting an extension on your taxes only gives you an extra six months to file your return. It doesn’t give you additional time to pay. This can make an extension a little complicated if you’re in a position where you expect to owe the IRS but haven’t done your taxes yet.
Try to to calculate estimate your tax bill as accurately as you can and err on the side of caution when you submit your payment by April 15. Best-case scenario, you’ll get any overpayment back as a refund.
If you didn’t pay enough in April, you’ll face a penalty for late payment on the portion you didn’t pay, which is 0.5% of your underpayment per month or partial month, up to 25%, plus interest on the unpaid balance. Both penalties and interest begin accruing right after April 15.
Generally, you can avoid the penalty if you’ve already paid at least 90% of your current-year tax liability. Keep in mind that even if you don’t have to pay a penalty, you’ll still owe interest on your unpaid taxes. The IRS assesses a variable interest rate of the federal short-term rate plus 3%. Currently, that rate is 7%.
What if I want to mail my return?
The IRS strongly suggests that people file their taxes online (as over 98% of taxpayers do), and the agency warns that paper returns take longer to process — which means a longer wait for your refund.
If you do want to mail your tax return, remember that the U.S. Postal Service changed its longstanding postmark policy in December. This means that mail might not be postmarked on the same day you drop it off; the postmark now indicates when the piece of mail was processed, not necessarily when you mailed it. To play it safe, don’t wait until the last minute; or, better yet, file your return electronically.
When will I get my refund?
If you’re owed a refund, you’ll have to file your return before the IRS can issue it. The agency says most electronically-filed tax returns are processed within 21 days.
If your income is below the filing threshold — $15,750 for an individual taxpayer younger than 65 at the end of 2025 — you’re not required to file a tax return. Tax pros say it’s a good idea to do so anyway, though, because you could be losing out on refundable tax credits due to you.
How can I track my refund?
If you file your taxes electronically, you should be able to get a refund update 24 hours after you submit your return via the IRS’ Where’s My Refund tool. Other ways you can check the status of your refund include logging in to your IRS account via web or mobile app, or calling 800-829-1954.
If you mailed your tax return, be patient; it can take four weeks for your information to show up in the tracking tool.
Can I get more time?
If you filed for a six-month extension and your taxes are due Oct. 15, the IRS will not let you file for a second extension. You can’t get a second extended deadline. (Note that the IRS may extend filing deadlines for taxpayers in FEMA-designated areas after a natural disaster. This is an automatic extension; you don’t need to request it. When the IRS announces disaster-related extensions, it will also announce the new deadline.)
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A longtime Money contributor, Martha C. White has written about a variety of personal finance topics such as careers, credit cards, insurance, retirement and shopping, and has edited Money’s Best Credit Cards rankings. She also writes stories about business and the economy for NBC News and The New York Times.