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gmltaxpro
Returning Member

How to file for an extension when the link provided by TurboTax says that the tool is unavailable and they are working on (has been like that for the past 3 days)?

 
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How to file for an extension when the link provided by TurboTax says that the tool is unavailable and they are working on (has been like that for the past 3 days)?

Wish you had included the important information that you live abroad in your original question.    You will not be able to e-file an extension request now----it is too late to e-file it.    You do have longer, but it has to be done by mail. 

 

From this IRS site:

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p54

 

 

Extensions

You can get an extension of time to file your return. In some circumstances, you can also get an extension of time to file and pay any tax due.

However, if you pay the tax due after the regular due date, interest will be charged from the regular due date until the date the tax is paid.

This publication discusses four extensions: an automatic 2-month extension, an automatic 6-month extension, an additional extension for taxpayers out of the country, and an extension of time to meet residency tests. If you served in a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area, see Pub. 3 for a discussion of extensions of deadlines.

Automatic 2-month extension.

 

You are allowed an automatic 2-month extension to file your return and pay federal income tax if you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, and on the regular due date of your return:

  • 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

  • You are in military or naval service on duty outside the United States and Puerto Rico.

 

If you use a calendar year, the regular due date of your return is April 15. Even if you are allowed an extension, you will have to pay interest on any tax not paid by the regular due date of your return.

Married taxpayers.

 

If you file a joint return, either you or your spouse can qualify for the automatic extension. If you and your spouse file separate returns, this automatic extension applies only to the spouse who qualifies for it.

How to get the extension.

 

To use this automatic 2-month extension, you must attach a statement to your return explaining which of the two situations listed earlier qualified you for the extension.

Automatic 6-month extension.

 

If you are not able to file your return by the due date, you can generally get an automatic 6-month extension of time to file (but not of time to pay). To get this automatic extension, you must file a paper Form 4868 or use IRS e-file (electronic filing). For more information about filing electronically, see E-file options , later.

The form must show your properly estimated tax liability based on the information available to you.

 

.

 

 

You may not be eligible. You cannot use the automatic 6-month extension of time to file if:.

  • You want the IRS to figure your tax, or

  • You are under a court order to file by the regular due date.

.

 

 

E-file options.

 

You can use e-file to get an extension of time to file. You can either file Form 4868 electronically or you can pay part or all of your estimate of tax due using a credit or debit card.

First, complete Form 4868 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.

Then, do one of the following.

  1. E-file Form 4868. 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 2019. If you wish to make a payment by electronic funds withdrawal, see the instructions for Form 4868. If you e-file Form 4868, do not also send a paper Form 4868 unless you also mail a check or money order for your tax payment.

  2. E-file and pay by credit or debit card. You can get an extension by paying part or all of your estimate of tax due by using a credit or debit card. You can do this by phone or over the Internet. If you do this, you do not file Form 4868. For more information, see the instructions for your tax return.

 

When to file.

 

Generally, you must request the 6-month extension by the regular due date of your return.

Previous 2-month extension.

 

If you cannot file your return within the automatic 2-month extension period, you can generally get an additional 4 months to file your return, for a total of 6 months. The 2-month period and the 6-month period start at the same time. You have to request the additional 4 months by the new due date allowed by the 2-month extension.

The additional 4 months of time to file (unlike the original 2-month extension) is not an extension of time to pay. You must make an accurate estimate of your tax based on the information available to you. If you find you cannot pay the full amount due with Form 4868, you can still get the extension. You will owe interest on the unpaid amount from the original due date of the return.

You may also be charged a penalty for paying the tax late unless you have reasonable cause for not paying your tax when due. Penalties for paying the tax late are assessed from the original due date of your return, unless you qualify for the automatic 2-month extension. In that situation, penalties for paying late are assessed from the extended due date of the payment (June 15 for calendar year taxpayers).

Additional extension of time for taxpayers out of the country.

 

In addition to the 6-month extension, taxpayers who are out of the country can request a discretionary 2-month additional extension of time to file their returns (to December 15 for calendar year taxpayers).

To request this extension, you must send the IRS a letter explaining the reasons why you need the additional 2 months. Send the letter by the extended due date (October 15 for calendar year taxpayers) to the following address:

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0045

 

You will not receive any notification from the IRS unless your request is denied.

The discretionary 2-month additional extension is not available to taxpayers who have an approved extension of time to file on Form 2350, discussed next.

Extension of time to meet residency tests.

 

You cannot generally get an extension of more than 6 months. However, if you are outside the United States and meet certain requirements, you may be able to get a longer extension.

You can get an extension of more than 6 months to file your tax return if you need the time to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test to qualify for either the foreign earned income exclusion or the foreign housing exclusion or deduction. The tests, the exclusions, and the deduction are explained in chapter 4.

You should request an extension if all three of the following apply.

  1. You are a U.S. citizen or resident alien.

  2. You expect to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, but not until after your tax return is due.

  3. Your tax home is in a foreign country (or countries) throughout your period of bona fide residence or physical presence, whichever applies.

 

If you are granted an extension, it will generally be to 30 days beyond the date on which you can reasonably expect to qualify for an exclusion or deduction under either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.

How to get an extension.

 

To obtain an extension, file Form 2350 either by giving it to a local IRS representative or other IRS employee or by mailing it to the:

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0045

 

You must file Form 2350 by the due date for filing your return. Generally, if both your tax home and your abode are outside the United States and Puerto Rico on the regular due date of your return and you file on a calendar year basis, the due date for filing your return is June 15.

What if tests are not met.

 

If you obtain an extension and unforeseen events make it impossible for you to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, you should file your income tax return as soon as possible because you must pay interest on any tax due after the regular due date of the return (even though an extension was granted).

 

.

 

 

You should make any request for an extension early, so that if it is denied you still can file your return on time. Otherwise, if you file late and additional tax is due, you may be subject to a penalty..

 

Return filed before test is met.

 

If you file a return before you meet the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, you must include all income from both U.S. and foreign sources and pay the tax on that income. If you later meet either of the tests, you can claim the foreign earned income exclusion, the foreign housing exclusion, or the foreign housing deduction on Form 1040-X.

 

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

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4 Replies

How to file for an extension when the link provided by TurboTax says that the tool is unavailable and they are working on (has been like that for the past 3 days)?

It is way too late to ask for an extension for your 2020 tax return.   The deadline was May 17.   Now your tax return is just late.    If you are getting a refund, there is no penalty for filing late.   If you owe tax due, then your penalties and interest began to add up after May 17, so get your return filed and pay asap.

 

  If you owe taxes, the interest/penalties will be calculated by the IRS based on how much you owe and when they receive your return and payment. The IRS will bill you for this; it will not be calculated by TurboTax.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
gmltaxpro
Returning Member

How to file for an extension when the link provided by TurboTax says that the tool is unavailable and they are working on (has been like that for the past 3 days)?

I live abroad and get an automatic 2 month extension (up to July 15th); I can request an additional 6 month extension by filing Form 4868.  This is what I am looking for.   Seems Turbo Tax needs to adapt to this option for those of us that live abroad and avoid removing this "Easy Extension" which is everything but easy 

How to file for an extension when the link provided by TurboTax says that the tool is unavailable and they are working on (has been like that for the past 3 days)?

Wish you had included the important information that you live abroad in your original question.    You will not be able to e-file an extension request now----it is too late to e-file it.    You do have longer, but it has to be done by mail. 

 

From this IRS site:

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p54

 

 

Extensions

You can get an extension of time to file your return. In some circumstances, you can also get an extension of time to file and pay any tax due.

However, if you pay the tax due after the regular due date, interest will be charged from the regular due date until the date the tax is paid.

This publication discusses four extensions: an automatic 2-month extension, an automatic 6-month extension, an additional extension for taxpayers out of the country, and an extension of time to meet residency tests. If you served in a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area, see Pub. 3 for a discussion of extensions of deadlines.

Automatic 2-month extension.

 

You are allowed an automatic 2-month extension to file your return and pay federal income tax if you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, and on the regular due date of your return:

  • 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

  • You are in military or naval service on duty outside the United States and Puerto Rico.

 

If you use a calendar year, the regular due date of your return is April 15. Even if you are allowed an extension, you will have to pay interest on any tax not paid by the regular due date of your return.

Married taxpayers.

 

If you file a joint return, either you or your spouse can qualify for the automatic extension. If you and your spouse file separate returns, this automatic extension applies only to the spouse who qualifies for it.

How to get the extension.

 

To use this automatic 2-month extension, you must attach a statement to your return explaining which of the two situations listed earlier qualified you for the extension.

Automatic 6-month extension.

 

If you are not able to file your return by the due date, you can generally get an automatic 6-month extension of time to file (but not of time to pay). To get this automatic extension, you must file a paper Form 4868 or use IRS e-file (electronic filing). For more information about filing electronically, see E-file options , later.

The form must show your properly estimated tax liability based on the information available to you.

 

.

 

 

You may not be eligible. You cannot use the automatic 6-month extension of time to file if:.

  • You want the IRS to figure your tax, or

  • You are under a court order to file by the regular due date.

.

 

 

E-file options.

 

You can use e-file to get an extension of time to file. You can either file Form 4868 electronically or you can pay part or all of your estimate of tax due using a credit or debit card.

First, complete Form 4868 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.

Then, do one of the following.

  1. E-file Form 4868. 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 2019. If you wish to make a payment by electronic funds withdrawal, see the instructions for Form 4868. If you e-file Form 4868, do not also send a paper Form 4868 unless you also mail a check or money order for your tax payment.

  2. E-file and pay by credit or debit card. You can get an extension by paying part or all of your estimate of tax due by using a credit or debit card. You can do this by phone or over the Internet. If you do this, you do not file Form 4868. For more information, see the instructions for your tax return.

 

When to file.

 

Generally, you must request the 6-month extension by the regular due date of your return.

Previous 2-month extension.

 

If you cannot file your return within the automatic 2-month extension period, you can generally get an additional 4 months to file your return, for a total of 6 months. The 2-month period and the 6-month period start at the same time. You have to request the additional 4 months by the new due date allowed by the 2-month extension.

The additional 4 months of time to file (unlike the original 2-month extension) is not an extension of time to pay. You must make an accurate estimate of your tax based on the information available to you. If you find you cannot pay the full amount due with Form 4868, you can still get the extension. You will owe interest on the unpaid amount from the original due date of the return.

You may also be charged a penalty for paying the tax late unless you have reasonable cause for not paying your tax when due. Penalties for paying the tax late are assessed from the original due date of your return, unless you qualify for the automatic 2-month extension. In that situation, penalties for paying late are assessed from the extended due date of the payment (June 15 for calendar year taxpayers).

Additional extension of time for taxpayers out of the country.

 

In addition to the 6-month extension, taxpayers who are out of the country can request a discretionary 2-month additional extension of time to file their returns (to December 15 for calendar year taxpayers).

To request this extension, you must send the IRS a letter explaining the reasons why you need the additional 2 months. Send the letter by the extended due date (October 15 for calendar year taxpayers) to the following address:

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0045

 

You will not receive any notification from the IRS unless your request is denied.

The discretionary 2-month additional extension is not available to taxpayers who have an approved extension of time to file on Form 2350, discussed next.

Extension of time to meet residency tests.

 

You cannot generally get an extension of more than 6 months. However, if you are outside the United States and meet certain requirements, you may be able to get a longer extension.

You can get an extension of more than 6 months to file your tax return if you need the time to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test to qualify for either the foreign earned income exclusion or the foreign housing exclusion or deduction. The tests, the exclusions, and the deduction are explained in chapter 4.

You should request an extension if all three of the following apply.

  1. You are a U.S. citizen or resident alien.

  2. You expect to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, but not until after your tax return is due.

  3. Your tax home is in a foreign country (or countries) throughout your period of bona fide residence or physical presence, whichever applies.

 

If you are granted an extension, it will generally be to 30 days beyond the date on which you can reasonably expect to qualify for an exclusion or deduction under either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.

How to get an extension.

 

To obtain an extension, file Form 2350 either by giving it to a local IRS representative or other IRS employee or by mailing it to the:

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Austin, TX 73301-0045

 

You must file Form 2350 by the due date for filing your return. Generally, if both your tax home and your abode are outside the United States and Puerto Rico on the regular due date of your return and you file on a calendar year basis, the due date for filing your return is June 15.

What if tests are not met.

 

If you obtain an extension and unforeseen events make it impossible for you to meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, you should file your income tax return as soon as possible because you must pay interest on any tax due after the regular due date of the return (even though an extension was granted).

 

.

 

 

You should make any request for an extension early, so that if it is denied you still can file your return on time. Otherwise, if you file late and additional tax is due, you may be subject to a penalty..

 

Return filed before test is met.

 

If you file a return before you meet the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, you must include all income from both U.S. and foreign sources and pay the tax on that income. If you later meet either of the tests, you can claim the foreign earned income exclusion, the foreign housing exclusion, or the foreign housing deduction on Form 1040-X.

 

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

How to file for an extension when the link provided by TurboTax says that the tool is unavailable and they are working on (has been like that for the past 3 days)?

. "You have to request the additional 4 months by the new due date allowed by the 2-month extension."

Hand carry your mailing of 4868 to the Post Office so it can be postmarked on or before July 15th.

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