Form 4868 2014 Checklist: Application for Automatic Extension
Purpose
Form 4868 provides an automatic extension for taxpayers to file their 2014 federal income tax return. Calendar year taxpayers receive a 6-month extension to October 15, 2015.
Out-of-country U.S. citizens and residents already receive an automatic 2-month extension to June 15, 2015, without filing Form 4868. Filing this form grants them an additional 4 months beyond June 15, extending their deadline to October 15, 2015. This extension applies to Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 1040-PR, and 1040-SS.
An extension for filing your 2014 income tax return automatically extends the time to file Form 709 (gift and generation-skipping transfer tax return) for 2014. However, any gift or GST tax owed remains due by April 15, 2015, the regular due date for both returns.
Step-by-Step Completion Guide
Step 1: Verify Your Filing Deadline and Taxpayer Status
File Form 4868 by April 15, 2015, if you are a calendar year taxpayer. Fiscal year taxpayers must file by their original return due date and are required to submit a paper Form 4868.
Determine whether you qualify as a calendar-year or fiscal-year filer, as the choice affects your submission deadline and filing method.
Step 2: Enter Your Identification Information
Complete Part I with your name, address, and Social Security Number. Joint filers should enter both spouses’ names in the order they will appear on the 2014 return.
Enter your SSN on line 2 and your spouse’s SSN on line 3. If filing Form 1040NR as an estate or trust, enter your EIN on line 2 and write “estate” or “trust” in the left margin.
Nonresident aliens without an SSN who are not eligible for one should enter “ITIN TO BE REQUESTED” and apply for an ITIN before filing their 2014 return.
Step 3: Estimate Your Total 2014 Tax Liability
Enter your estimated total tax liability for 2014 on line 4. Reference the appropriate line from your expected return form: line 63 for Form 1040, line 39 for Form 1040A, line 12 for Form 1040EZ, line 61 for Form 1040NR, line 17 for Form 1040NR-EZ, or line 6 for Form 1040-PR or 1040-SS.
Make your estimate as accurate as possible, given the available information. An unreasonable estimate will void the extension.
Step 4: Calculate Your Total Expected Payments
On line 5, enter the total payments you expect to report on your 2014 return, including withholding and estimated tax payments.
For Form 1040, use line 74 but exclude line 70. For Form 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR-EZ, 1040-PR, and 1040-SS, do not include the amount you are paying with Form 4868 on this line.
Step 5: Determine the Balance Due
Subtract line 5 from line 4 to calculate line 6. If line 5 exceeds line 4, enter zero.
This represents your unpaid 2014 tax, though you may pay less than this balance and still receive the extension. Interest will accrue on any unpaid amount from April 15, 2015, regardless of whether an extension is granted.
Step 6: Enter Your Payment Amount and Select Payment Method
On line 7, enter the amount you are paying. You can receive the extension even without paying the full balance due, but paying as much as possible reduces interest charges.
If paying electronically through Direct Pay, EFTPS, debit, or credit card, record your confirmation number.
If paying by check or money order, make it payable to “United States Treasury” and write your SSN, daytime phone number, and “2014 Form 4868” on the payment. Do not staple or attach the payment to the form.
Use the appropriate mailing address based on your state of residence and whether you are including a payment.
Step 7: Check Line 8 If You Are Out of the Country
If you are out of the country on April 15, 2015, check the box on line 8.
You qualify as out of the country if you live outside the United States and Puerto Rico with your principal place of work outside these areas, or if you are on military or naval duty outside the United States and Puerto Rico.
This designation grants you an additional 4 months beyond the automatic 2-month extension you already receive, extending your filing deadline to October 15, 2015. Interest still accrues from April 15, 2015, on any unpaid tax.
Step 8: Check Line 9 If Filing Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ Without U.S. Wage Withholding
If you are filing Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ, did not receive wages subject to U.S. tax withholding, and your return is due June 15, 2015, check the box on line 9 to qualify for the extension to October 15, 2015.
Step 9: Choose Your Filing Method
You have three options to file Form 4868.
First, you can file electronically and pay all or part of your estimated tax using Direct Pay, EFTPS, or debit or credit card. The IRS automatically processes an extension when you pay electronically.
Second, you can file electronically through IRS e-files using your home computer or a tax professional.
Third, you can submit a paper Form 4868 by mail to the appropriate IRS address based on your location and whether you are including a payment.
Step 10: Claim Credit for Your Extension Payment on Your 2014 Return
When filing your 2014 return, report any payment made with Form 4868 on the appropriate line: line 70 for Form 1040, line 46 for Form 1040A, line 9 for Form 1040EZ, line 66 for Form 1040NR, line 21 for Form 1040NR-EZ, or line 11 for Form 1040-PR or 1040-SS.
Do not attach a copy of Form 4868 to your filed return.
If you and your spouse each filed separate Forms 4868 but later filed a joint return, enter the total paid on both forms.
If you jointly filed Form 4868 but later file separate returns, you can enter the total on either return or divide the payment into any agreed-upon amounts.
Understanding Penalties and Interest
Interest accrues on any unpaid tax from April 15, 2015, even if you qualify for an extension. This applies regardless of whether you are out of the country or have filed Form 4868. The interest continues until you pay the tax in full.
The late payment penalty is one-half of one percent of any unpaid tax per month or part of a month, with a maximum penalty of 25%. This penalty applies to tax not paid by April 15, 2015.
However, you can avoid the late payment penalty by demonstrating reasonable cause. You are considered to have reasonable cause for the period covered by the automatic extension if you paid at least 90% of your actual 2014 tax liability before April 15, 2015, through withholding, estimated tax payments, or payments made with Form 4868.
To claim reasonable cause for other reasons, attach a statement to your return fully explaining your circumstances. Do not attach this statement to Form 4868.
The late filing penalty applies if you file your return after the extended deadline has passed. This penalty is typically 5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month that your return is late, with a maximum penalty of 25%.
If your return is more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $135 or the balance of tax due, whichever is smaller.
You may avoid this penalty by demonstrating reasonable cause for filing late. Attach a statement explaining your reason for your return, not to Form 4868.
Special Considerations
Taxpayers must file a paper Form 4868 by their original return due date for the fiscal year. Electronic filing is not available for fiscal year returns.
If you elect to split gifts with your spouse, both you and your spouse must file separate gift tax returns on Form 709, even though your income tax extension automatically extends the time to file these returns.
The extension applies only to filing your return, not to paying any tax owed. To avoid interest and penalties, pay as much as you can by April 15, 2015, even if you cannot pay the full amount.
Private delivery services, including FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2Day, UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day Air Saver, UPS 2nd Day Air, and UPS Worldwide Express, meet the timely filing requirement. However, these services cannot deliver to P.O. boxes, so you must use the U.S. Postal Service for IRS P.O. box addresses.
If the donor died during 2014, the executor must file the donor’s 2014 Form 709 no later than the earlier of the due date for filing the donor’s estate tax return (with extensions) or April 15, 2015, or the extended due date granted for filing the donor’s gift tax return.
You do not need to file Form 4868 to report gifts to political organizations, payments qualifying for educational exclusions (tuition paid directly to educational institutions), or payments qualifying for medical exclusions (medical care paid directly to providers). These transfers are not subject to gift tax.
Generally, the IRS cannot extend the due date of your return for more than six months, making October 15, 2015, the final deadline for most calendar-year taxpayers. Exceptions may apply if you are living out of the country.
Need Help With Your Tax Filing?
If you’re missing tax documents or want to ensure the numbers you enter match IRS records, we can help.
We offer:
- Full IRS transcript retrieval (Wage & Income + Account)
- Professional tax form review
- Preparation & filing support
- Tax relief options if you owe the IRS
Call now before filing: (888) 260-9441
Fast transcript pull available
This checklist is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Always review official IRS instructions and consult a qualified professional for guidance.
