If you’ve waited until now to contact a tax professional or CPA about filing your taxes, you’ve likely been told the bad news: they’re booked or they will need to file an extension on your behalf.
If you haven’t yet found a professional to file your taxes and you don’t want to file on your own, you should file an extension yourself as the deadline for doing so is just around the corner.
An extension buys you a grace period so a professional can still assist you after the tax filing deadline. An extension does not, however, extend the time you have to pay your taxes.
If you believe you’ll owe taxes, you should make a payment now, using the following options:
Reason for Payment: Extension
Apply Payment To: 4868 (for 1040, 1040a, 1040EZ)
Tax Period for Payment: 2018
Deadline for Tax Extension
The deadline for filing an extension is April 15. You can e-file an extension for free. Alternatively, you can find Form 4868 on the IRS website to file for an extension via mail. It will need to be postmarked by April 15th for your extension to be granted.
Filing an extension will give you until October 15, 2019 to file your tax return. You will still be required to pay your taxes by April 15th, 2019.
TL;DR: You procrastinated having your taxes done. File an extension, then get help.
