Form 4868 Payment

[FEDUKE404]

Answer for Burke

This may be a dumb question, but if you e-file an extension and there is money to be paid, is there a particular voucher to send with it? Or do you just send a copy of the 4868 form?

Burke -

At least a CLEAR answer from bottom of page 3 of the IRS Form 4868 instructions:

Note. If you e-file Form 4868 and mail a check or money order to the IRS for payment, use a completed paper Form 4868 as a voucher.

That should work. . .

FE

[David1980]

When in doubt, read the instructions.

"Note. If you e-file Form 4868 and mail a check or money order to the IRS for payment, use a completed paper Form 4868 as a voucher. "

Bottom right of page 3 of PDF. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf

[FEDUKE404]

Why do that ?

A zero on the "Amount You Are Paying" line 7 of a paper 4868 also works quite nicely (even if there's an amount due showing on line 6).

That sounds pretty illogical. . .kinda like sending in a no-payment tax return with a large balance due and then just waiting for the IRS to send you a (moderately increased!) invoice sometime in the future? ?

Do you routinely encourage your clients to face exposure to late payment penalties? ? ?

FE

[JohnH]

A zero on the "Amount You Are Paying" line 7 of a paper 4868 also works quite nicely (even if there's an amount due showing on line 6).

[FEDUKE404]

Just mail a check ?

This may be a dumb question, but if you e-file an extension and there is money to be paid, is there a particular voucher to send with it? Or do you just send a copy of the 4868 form?

I've been efiling Form 4868 along with Form 8878 whenever payment is involved. Autodebit on April 15th, receipt of Form 4868 quickly acknowledged, end of story!

Tax software handles the entire thing. . .but does need TP signature(s) on Form 8878.

As for mailing a check, so far as I know you just snail mail the payment (along with copy of efiled 4868? ? ?) to the appropriate address for your location.

FWIW: It might create less potential confusion to efile either BOTH form+payment or to efile NEITHER, using snail mail instead. The actual Form 4868 pretty well states "amount you are paying" so a Form 4868 without a payment might create some IRS confusion whether efiled or snail-mailed.

FE

[sandigi]

ACH payment via software

This may be a dumb question, but if you e-file an extension and there is money to be paid, is there a particular voucher to send with it? Or do you just send a copy of the 4868 form?

My software (Drake) allows for ACH (Automated Clearing House) payment. Enter routing and account numbers just like you would for an electronic deposit of refund. The date the money comes out of the bank is 04/15 unless specified earlier. I recommend this because then we have an electronic verification that the money was paid.

Or you can send a copy of the F4868 and line 7 put "Amount you are paying" and send in a check. Then go to the post office, stand in line, and mail it certified mail return receipt request. Which will come back without a signature from the IRS . . . and you can hope that you can prove that your check is what was mailed in that "dated" receipt.

[Burke]

This may be a dumb question, but if you e-file an extension and there is money to be paid, is there a particular voucher to send with it? Or do you just send a copy of the 4868 form?