Can You Get an Additional Tax Return Extension?

It goes something like this: Tax season was fast approaching and you just knew you weren’t going to make the deadline to file your return on April 15, so you requested a tax extension. Now October 15 is fast approaching and, guess what, you just know you’re not going to make that deadline either. What options do you have? Can you request a second tax return extension? Will the IRS grant you another grace period?

The short answer is no, you don’t really get another extension, but that doesn’t mean everything is lost. There’s still a chance for you to do effective damage control with the IRS, and you definitely need to do that if you missed two deadlines! This guide will give you some historical context for tax extensions so you know why things are the way they are, and what you can do if you need even more time to file your tax return.

Does The IRS Grant Additional Tax Extensions?

Let’s start at the bottom: No, the IRS does not grant additional extensions to individual taxpayers beyond the one-time six-month extension, moving the deadline to file your tax return from April 15 to October 15. There are special circumstances that might earn you one (which we’ll discuss further down in this article), but the general answer is still no.

Still, a six-month tax extension is still a powerful tool–if you know how to take advantage of it. Six months sounds like a lot, and it is, but it can also slip away quickly if you don’t know how to properly use it. First of all, you have to remember that if you’re getting an extension to file, you’re not getting an extension to pay. Payment is still due April 15, and interest starts accruing on any unpaid taxes right from the get go.

A failure to file a penalty is not something that’s going to disappear if you ignore it for long enough. The IRS doesn’t operate like that. Instead, what you should do if you miss both deadlines is to file as soon as possible. It’s important that you file even if you know you don’t have enough money to pay because dealing with both a failure to file penalty and a failure to pay penalty is not going to be pretty. So, file away, and check in with the IRS to let them know you need to set up a payment plan.

Tax Extensions For Individual Taxpayers

Hasta el año fiscal 2005, el contribuyente podía presentar el formulario 4868 del IRS (Solicitud de prórroga automática del plazo para presentar la declaración del impuesto sobre la renta de las personas físicas en EE.UU.) y obtener una prórroga automática de cuatro meses. Se podía obtener una prórroga fiscal adicional de dos meses cumplimentando el formulario Tax Form 2688.

Sin embargo, a partir del ejercicio fiscal 2005, el Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS) modificó Formulario 4868 para permitir una prórroga automática de seis meses del plazo original de presentación del 15 de abril.

RELACIONADOS: Explicación de las prórrogas del IRPF

Con una prórroga fiscal, declaración de la renta deben presentarse antes del 15 de octubre del mismo año. Este año, obtener una prórroga significa que su fecha límite de presentación cambiará del 15 de abril de 2015 al 15 de octubre de 2015.

Una vez que solicitar una prórroga fiscal, remember that you must file your tax return by the new extended deadline. If you miss the October 15 due date, you will be subject to Tasas, sanciones e intereses de demora de Hacienda. También es importante tener en cuenta que no podrá solicitar más prórrogas.

Exceptions And Special Circumstances For Additional Tax Extensions

El IRS no concede segundas prórrogas o prórrogas adicionales, salvo en los siguientes casos especiales:

Miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas de EE.UU. - Los miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas que sirvan en una zona de combate o en una operación de contingencia pueden optar a prórrogas fiscales adicionales de hasta seis meses. La prórroga fiscal comienza una vez finalizado el despliegue. Consulte Publicación 3 del IRS (Guía fiscal de las Fuerzas Armadas) para obtener información sobre la solicitud de prórrogas y la presentación de declaraciones.

Contribuyentes residentes fuera de EE.UU. - Los contribuyentes que sean ciudadanos estadounidenses o residentes que vivan fuera de Estados Unidos (y Puerto Rico) pueden optar a una segunda prórroga fiscal si cumplen determinados requisitos. El contribuyente que entre en esta clasificación debe enviar una carta antes de la fecha límite de la primera prórroga fiscal (15 de octubre) para solicitar una prórroga fiscal adicional de dos meses para presentar su declaración federal de la renta. Para más información, consulte Publicación 54 del IRS (Guía fiscal para ciudadanos estadounidenses y extranjeros residentes en el extranjero).

RELACIONADOS: Consejos para presentar la declaración de la renta fuera de plazo

Formularios de prórroga fiscal

Se pueden solicitar otros tipos de prórrogas fiscales utilizando los siguientes formularios fiscales, todos ellos disponibles en el sitio web del IRS:

• Formulario 7004 (Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns) se utiliza para solicitar una prórroga de cinco o seis meses para una declaración del impuesto sobre actividades económicas.
• Formulario de impuestos 1138 (Prórroga del plazo para el pago de impuestos por una sociedad que espera una compensación de pérdidas de explotación netas)
• Formulario de impuestos 2350 (Application for Extension of Time to File U. S. Income Tax Return) está diseñada para ciudadanos estadounidenses y extranjeros residentes en el extranjero que esperan poder acogerse a un tratamiento fiscal especial.
• Formulario 4768 (Solicitud de prórroga para presentar la declaración y/o pagar los impuestos sobre el patrimonio (y sobre transmisiones patrimoniales) de EE.UU.)
• Formulario 5558 (Solicitud de prórroga para presentar determinadas declaraciones de planes de empleo)
• Formulario 8809 (Solicitud de prórroga para presentar declaraciones informativas - Para los formularios W-2, W-2G, 1042-S, 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498 y 8027)
• Formulario 8868 (Solicitud de prórroga para presentar una declaración de organización exenta)
• Formulario 8892 (Solicitud de prórroga para presentar el modelo 709 y/o pagar el impuesto sobre transmisiones patrimoniales y donaciones)

Para más información sobre extensiones fiscales y los distintos formularios fiscales necesarios, consulte a su preparador fiscal o contable, o bien póngase en contacto con Hacienda.

Common Tax Extension Mistakes To Avoid

Once you work with taxes long enough, it’s easy to identify the most common mistakes people make when it comes to tax extensions. Here are those mistakes and what you can do to avoid making them.

Missing The Extension Request Deadline

It should come as no surprise that people who have trouble filing their taxes on time once will have trouble filing them twice.

• Missing the April 15 deadline: Missing the first filing and paying deadline means you get two penalties, one for each. On the other hand, you could also get hit with only one penalty, depending on your situation; maybe you do file your taxes but you don’t pay, or vice versa.
• Missing the October 15 deadline: When you miss the October 15 deadline, that’s when things really get serious. This is where you get hit with failure to file penalties retroactive to your filing date (October 15 in this case), and also failure to pay penalties retroactive to your original due date (that’s all the way back to April 15). Like we mentioned before, it’s better for you to file as soon as you can at this point so you avoid interest on some of those penalties.

Second And Additional Tax Extensions: FAQ

1. What is a tax extension?

A tax extension allows you to file your federal tax return later than the usual April 15 deadline. Usually, six months are afforded to taxpayers who request an extension, moving the deadline all the way to October 15.

2. Is it possible to get a second extension?

Basically, no. It’s impossible to get a second extension for individual tax returns beyond the initial six-month extension unless you’re a member of the military (and engaging in active combat zones) or a taxpayer living outside the U.S. (and there are still limitations about that situation).

3. What happens if I miss the extended deadline?

Missing the October 15 deadline means facing penalties for late filing and accruing interest on unpaid taxes starting from the original April 15 deadline.

4. How can I request an extension on my taxes?

You can request a tax extension using Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, before April 15. This can be done both on paper and electronically.

5. Can I request an extension to pay my taxes?

No. A tax extension only moves the deadline on which you can file your tax return, but you still have to pay your taxes by the April 15 deadline. Currently, there is no way to extend the deadline to pay your taxes.

6. What if I cannot pay my taxes by the deadline? 

If you cannot pay your taxes on time, we highly recommend filing your return (or applying for a tax extension) to avoid penalties and setting up a payment plan with the IRS. These payment plans carry interest and some fees, but it’s preferable to accruing interest and penalties on unpaid taxes.

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