You will know if your IRS tax extension is approved by receiving an email confirmation from your e-file provider (e.g., TurboTax, H&R Block) within 24-48 hours, or by assuming approval if no rejection notice is received. The IRS does not send "approval" notifications; you only hear from them if it is rejected.
If you file the Form 4868 electronically, be sure to have a copy of your prior year's return; you'll be asked to provide your prior year's adjusted gross income (AGI) amount for verification purposes. Once you file, you'll receive an electronic acknowledgement that the IRS has accepted your filing.
You Need to Make Sure Your Extension Has Been Approved
In order to know if your tax extension has been received and approved by the IRS, you should check that you received a confirmation email within 24 hours of filing, assuming that you submitted your extension request electronically.
The processing time depends on how your extension request is submitted. Here's what you can expect: Form 8809 (E-file) and 15397 (Fax): Typically processed within 24–48 hours. Form 8809 (Paper): Usually processed within 2–3 business days.
You don't have to file a separate extension form and you'll receive a confirmation number of your extension for your records.
If you owe money or are receiving a refund, you can check your return status by signing in to view your IRS online account information.
This is simply not true. Filing an extension does not increase your audit risk in any way. While the IRS doesn't disclose exactly what triggers an audit, as experienced CPAs, we do see certain patterns.
Generally, once your return is E-filed, you will receive an acknowledgement email within 48 hours. This email will let you know if your return was accepted or rejected. Once the IRS has accepted your return, the amount of time that it will take to actually receive a refund may vary.
But what happens if your e-file extension is rejected? Although you don't need to submit a lot of information to e-file an extension, it could be rejected if you enter any details incorrectly. One example of these errors might be a typo in one of your numbers, such as a date of birth or Social Security number.
If you filed a federal tax extension and it was rejected, you have until 11:59 PM on April 20 to resubmit or mail your extension. You can also get an extension by paying all or part of your federal income tax due. Choose Extension as your reason for payment. If you do this, you don't need to fill out a separate form.
On your computer, open Chrome. At the top right, select Extensions .
If you can't file by April 15, you have an automatic six-month extension to file your return until October 15. You don't have to file a written request to receive the extension because it's paperless. However, the extension to file does not mean an extension to pay.
A tax return extension gives you six more months to file, but you must still pay your taxes on time. Learn about tax return extensions or how to pay your tax bill in installments.
The most convenient way to check on a tax refund is by using the Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of the taxpayer's e-filed return.
If you don't file your tax return by the October 15 extension deadline, the IRS charges a failure-to-file penalty of 5% per month (up to 25%) on unpaid taxes, plus a failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month), and interest on the total amount due, potentially leading to significant costs, though you can request penalty abatement for reasonable cause, and if you're owed a refund, you generally won't face penalties but risk losing your refund if you wait too long (usually over 3 years).
Checking federal tax extension status
To confirm receipt, it's easiest if you use software like TurboTax Easy Extension, since you'll get a confirmation from TurboTax within 48 hours. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) won't confirm paper Form 4868 extensions sent by mail or delivery service.
Depending on how you file, the IRS will typically notify you of a rejected return by email or regular mail. In the rejection notice, you'll find a rejection code and an explanation of why the return was rejected.
Every feature included for everyone. When you electronically file your tax return, the IRS confirms receipt of your return with an Acknowledgement Record. This record indicates either “Accepted” or “Rejected.” A “Rejected” status includes a description of what must be corrected on the return.
The IRS only updates your refund status information once per week on Wednesdays. If you e-file your tax return, wait at least 72 hours from the date the IRS confirms receipt of your return before checking your refund status, and at least three weeks if you mail the return instead.
The biggest tax mistakes people make include filing late, math errors, incorrect personal info (like Social Security numbers), forgetting deductions/credits (like EITC), misreporting income, not signing forms, and making errors with bank details for direct deposit, all leading to delays, penalties, or missed savings, with using tax software or professionals helping avoid these common pitfalls.
Extensions for individual returns
Electronically file or mail an Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You'll receive an acknowledgment or confirmation number for your records.
For those who are terrified of extensions, remember that they're okay. Unless you file for extensions for years and years, they're not going to increase your chance of being audited, and they won't have any consequences if you pay your taxes on time.