Why haven’t you filed your return yet if you are expecting a refund?

Why haven’t you filed your return yet if you are expecting a refund?

It’s April 15th and unless you live under a rock, you should know that this is Tax Day!  One might think that if you are expecting a refund, you would file before the April 15th deadline. But there are many reason that people who don’t owe taxes might need an extension and below is the information about extension from irs.gov website.  But if you happen to stumble upon igotmyrefund.com and owe taxes, we do  primarily serves people hunting a REFUND, but we welcome your input.  Maybe you adjusted your witholdings and ended up owing and have the question, “why do i owe taxes this year, but always got a refund in the past?”, or “what should I do to not owe at the end of the year?”  “Should I adjust my witholdings?”  “How to get a tax refund?”

Extensions of Time To File

You may be able to get an extension of time to file your return. There are three types of situations where you may qualify for an extension:

  • Automatic extensions,
  • You are outside the United States, or
  • You are serving in a combat zone.

Automatic Extension

If you cannot file your 2012 return by the due date, you may be able to get an automatic 6-month extension of time to file.

Example.If your return is due on April 15, 2013, you will have until October 15, 2013, to file.

If you do not pay the tax due by the regular due date (generally, April 15), you will owe interest. You may also be charged penalties, discussed later.

How to get the automatic extension.   You can get the automatic extension by:

  1. Using IRS e-file (electronic filing), or
  2. Filing a paper form.
E-file options.   There are two ways you can use e-file to get an extension of time to file. Complete Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, to use as a worksheet. If you think you may owe tax when you file your return, use Part II of the form to estimate your balance due. If you e-file Form 4868 to the IRS, do not also send a paper Form 4868.
E-file using your personal computer or a tax professional.    You can use a tax software package with your personal computer or a tax professional to file Form 4868 electronically. You will need to provide certain information from your tax return for 2011. If you wish to make a payment by electronic funds withdrawal, see Pay online , under How To Pay, later in this chapter.
E-file and pay by credit or debit card or by using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).   You can get an extension by paying part or all of your estimate of tax due by using a credit or debit card or by using EFTPS. You can do this by phone or over the Internet. You do not file Form 4868. See Pay online , under How To Pay, later in this chapter.
Filing a paper Form 4868.   You can get an extension of time to file by filing a paper Form 4868. Mail it to the address shown in the form instructions.
If you want to make a payment with the form, make your check or money order payable to “United States Treasury.” Write your SSN, daytime phone number, and “2012 Form 4868” on your check or money order.
When to file.   You must request the automatic extension by the due date for your return. You can file your return any time before the 6-month extension period ends.
When you file your return.   Enter any payment you made related to the extension of time to file on Form 1040, line 68. If you file Form 1040EZ or Form 1040A, include that payment in your total payments on Form 1040EZ, line 9, or Form 1040A, line 41. Also enter “Form 4868” and the amount paid in the space to the left of line 9 or line 41.

Individuals Outside the United States

You are allowed an automatic 2-month extension, without filing Form 4868, (until June 15, 2013, if you use the calendar year) to file your 2012 return and pay any federal income tax due if:

You are a U.S. citizen or resident, and

  1. On the due date of your return:
    1. You are living outside the United States and Puerto Rico, and your main place of business or post of duty is outside the United States and Puerto Rico, or
    2. You are in military or naval service on duty outside the United States and
      Puerto Rico.

However, if you pay the tax due after the regular due date (generally, April 15), interest will be charged from that date until the date the tax is paid.

If you served in a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area, you may be eligible for a longer extension of time to file. See Individuals Serving in Combat Zone , later, for special rules that apply to you.

Married taxpayers.   If you file a joint return, only one spouse has to qualify for this automatic extension. If you and your spouse file separate returns, this automatic extension applies only to the spouse who qualifies.
How to get the extension.   To use this automatic extension, you must attach a statement to your return explaining what situation qualified you for the extension. (See the situations listed under (2), earlier.)
Extensions beyond 2 months.   If you cannot file your return within the automatic 2-month extension period, you may be able to get an additional 4-month extension, for a total of 6 months. File Form 4868 and check the box on line 8.
No further extension.   An extension of more than 6 months will generally not be granted. However, if you are outside the United States and meet certain tests, you may be granted a longer extension. For more information, see When To File and Pay in Publication 54.
Individuals Serving in Combat Zone 
The deadline for filing your tax return, paying any tax you may owe, and filing a claim for refund is automatically extended if you serve in a combat zone. This applies to members of the Armed Forces, as well as merchant marines serving aboard vessels under the operational control of the Department of Defense, Red Cross personnel, accredited correspondents, and civilians under the direction of the Armed Forces in support of the Armed Forces.
Combat zone.
For purposes of the automatic extension, the term “combat zone” includes the following areas.
  1. The Persian Gulf area, effective January 17, 1991.
  2. The qualified hazardous duty area of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro), Albania, the Adriatic Sea, and the Ionian Sea north of the 39th parallel, effective March 24, 1999.
  3. Afghanistan, effective September 19, 2001.

See Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide, for information about other tax benefits available to military personnel serving in a combat zone.

Extension period.   The deadline for filing your return, paying any tax due, and filing a claim for refund is extended for at least 180 days after the later of:

  1. The last day you are in a combat zone or the last day the area qualifies as a combat zone, or
  2. The last day of any continuous qualified hospitalization for injury from service in the combat zone.

In addition to the 180 days, your deadline is also extended by the number of days you had left to take action with the IRS when you entered the combat zone. For example, you have 3½ months (January 1 – April 15) to file your tax return. Any days left in this period when you entered the combat zone (or the entire 3½ months if you entered it before the beginning of the year) are added to the 180 days. SeeExtension of Deadlines in Publication 3 for more information.

The above rules on the extension for filing your return also apply when you are deployed outside the United States (away from your permanent duty station) while participating in a designated contingency operation.

 

 

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