Form 4868 is the standard extension form available to almost all U.S. taxpayers. If you submit this form by the regular April tax deadline, you automatically get an extra six months to file your return (moving your deadline to mid-October).
Form 4868 PDF
What do you need to fill it out? The form is very short and simple. You do not need to provide a reason for the extension. You only need:
- Your name, address, and Social Security number.
- A “good faith estimate” of what you think your final tax bill will be minus any payments you’ve already made.
Does this give me more time to PAY my taxes? No. An extension gives you more time to file your paperwork, but it does not give you more time to pay. If you expect to owe taxes, you must pay that estimated amount by the original April deadline. If you don’t, you will be charged interest and late-payment penalties.
Tip: You don’t even have to fill out the physical form if you pay your estimated taxes online (via Direct Pay, EFTPS, or card) and indicate the payment is specifically for an extension.
2. Rules for Expats (Living Abroad)
If you are a U.S. citizen or resident whose main place of work/residence is outside the U.S. or Puerto Rico, or if you are on military duty overseas, the rules are slightly different:
- The Automatic Extension: You automatically get a two-month extension (until mid-June) to file your taxes. You do not need to file a form for this.
- Need More Time? If June isn’t enough time, you can file Form 4868 (check the box on Line 8 indicating you are “out of the country”) to extend your deadline to October.
3. Form 2350: The Expat-Specific Extension
Form 2350 is a special extension form used only by Americans living abroad who are trying to qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE).
To claim the FEIE tax benefit, you must prove you have lived outside the U.S. for a specific amount of time. If you recently moved abroad and haven’t lived there quite long enough to pass the test by the time taxes are due, you can file Form 2350.
- How it works: This form asks the IRS to extend your tax deadline until 30 days after you finally meet the time requirement for the FEIE.
- The catch: You must file this form by the original tax deadline, and you must reasonably expect that you will qualify for the FEIE in the near future.
Need Even More Time? (The December 15th Extension)
If you are living abroad, have already filed Form 4868 for the October extension, and still need more time (for example, if you are waiting on tax documents from a foreign country), you can request one final extension to December 15.
To do this, you must write a formal letter to the IRS before the October deadline explaining exactly why you need the extra two months. The IRS will review it and grant it at their discretion.
