How to file for a tax extension

When it comes to filing and paying your federal and state taxes for 2023, there’s good and bad news. The good news is that if you live in Maine or Massachusetts, you have until Wednesday, April 17th, because of the Patriots’ Day and Emancipation Day holidays.

The bad news is: whether you have to file by April 15th or April 17th, you still have to file.

If you won’t be able to file your taxes by then — because of a family emergency, a large work project, or simple procrastination — what do you do? Well, one thing you don’t do is panic. You can file for an extension, and it won’t take long.

If you’re an individual (and let’s assume you are), you can file for an extension easily online by filling out Form 4868 using the IRS’s Free File program. (Filing an extension is free no matter what your income level is.) Some things to keep in mind:

Update January 18th, 2024, 4:12PM ET: This article was originally published on July 14th, 2020, and has been updated to change dates and other information for tax year 2023.