Taxes are due April 15. Here's what happens if you're late.

• Taxes are due April 15. File by mail or electronically to avoid penalties.
• You can file for a six-month extension, which gives more time to file but not to pay.
• Penalty relief is rare. If you owe taxes, submit the payment by April 15 to avoid penalties.

For most Americans, taxes are due on Wednesday, April 15.

Paper filers must postmark their return by the due date, and e-filers must submit it by 11:59 p.m. in their time zone.

Business Insider spoke with tax specialist Timothy Wingate Jr. about the consequences of filing and paying late.

You can request an extension to file, but it won't extend your time to pay

If you know you're going to need more time to file your taxes, you can request a six-month extension by filling out IRS Form 4868.

"Anyone can file for the six-month extension," said Wingate. "It's automatically approved once you file it."

Form 4868 is a one-page document you can send by mail or file electronically — just make sure you do so by April 15. Otherwise, you could face a failure-to-file penalty equal to 5% of your unpaid taxes for each month your tax return is late, up to 25%.

The penalty starts accruing the day after the tax deadline. If you file more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $510 or 100% of the taxes you owe, whichever is smaller. There is no late-filing penalty if you're due a refund, but you won't receive it without filing.

An extension to file does not mean an extension to pay.

"If you owe money to the IRS, it still needs to be paid by the 15th," said Wingate. "Otherwise, you will incur a penalty."

The failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% of your unpaid taxes for each month you don't pay, up to 25%. The IRS also charges interest on penalties.

If you expect to owe taxes, estimate the amount and submit the payment by April 15 to avoid penalties. If you're unsure of your tax liability, "send them what you paid last year," advised Wingate, noting that if you overpay, the IRS will refund you.

You may owe taxes if you withheld too little on your W-4 form, took on a side hustle, or are self-employed and haven't made enough quarterly tax payments. Major life events can also trigger a larger tax bill.

Don't expect penalty relief

While there are valid reasons for failing to file or pay on time — you may qualify for penalty relief in the event of a natural disaster, for example — don't expect relief from the IRS.

Wingate highlighted four scenarios that taxpayers mistakenly believe constitute reasonable causes for failing to file or pay on time.

1. "My tax preparer told me that they filed on time." If someone else handles your taxes, you'll still want to review what they file and get proof that your return has been sent. "It's not the tax preparer's responsibility to ensure that the tax return was filed on time," said Wingate.

2. "This is my first year filing on my own." The IRS doesn't care if you're a first-time filer or filing for the 50th time.

3. "I gave the IRS my correct information, so my tax return shouldn't have been rejected." If your return is rejected, you'll receive an explanation as to why, said Wingate: "It could be rejected for the wrong tax identification number or not having used the identity protection pin when you file." Filing early gives you time to correct any mistakes you may have initially made before the deadline.

4. "I couldn't afford to pay the taxes, so I waited until I had the money to file my tax return." If you can't pay the amount you owe, it's still important to file. Then, you can apply for a payment plan with the IRS to resolve your tax debt.

This story was originally published in April 2025.