Each year, payment for taxes you owe is due by the filing deadline even if you get a filing extension. The filing deadline for 2025 tax returns is April 15, 2026.
Taxpayers that request an extension by the April 15 tax filing due date will have until Oct. 15 to file without penalties. An extension gives extra time to file, but it does not give taxpayers extra time to pay if they owe. Taxpayers are obligated to pay taxes due on April 15, 2025, to avoid penalties and interest.
If you file taxes after the October 15 extension deadline, the IRS will assess penalties and interest, primarily a failure-to-file penalty (5% per month, max 25%), plus a separate failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month) and daily interest on the unpaid taxes, though you can request penalty abatement for reasonable cause like natural disasters. The October deadline is for filing, not paying; if you owe, payment was due in April, so you'll likely face both penalties and interest until you file and pay, but you won't be penalized if you're due a refund.
For U.S. federal taxes, the main e-filing deadline for Tax Year 2025 returns is generally April 15, 2026, but the IRS closes for the year on December 26, 2025, so you must file by then or request an extension (Form 4868) for an October 15, 2026, filing deadline, paying any taxes due by April 15, 2026, to avoid penalties. Deadlines shift if April 15 falls on a weekend/holiday; for 2025, the individual e-file period for Tax Year 2024 (filed in 2025) closed in late December 2025, while the Tax Year 2025 filing season for most returns began in late January 2026, with the main deadline in April 2026.
For U.S. federal taxes, the main e-filing deadline for Tax Year 2025 returns is generally April 15, 2026, but the IRS closes for the year on December 26, 2025, so you must file by then or request an extension (Form 4868) for an October 15, 2026, filing deadline, paying any taxes due by April 15, 2026, to avoid penalties. Deadlines shift if April 15 falls on a weekend/holiday; for 2025, the individual e-file period for Tax Year 2024 (filed in 2025) closed in late December 2025, while the Tax Year 2025 filing season for most returns began in late January 2026, with the main deadline in April 2026.
Common ITR Filing Mistake 1: Missing the Filing Deadline
The most avoidable mistake is missing the due date. For most individual taxpayers, the deadline for FY 2024-25 is 15th September 2025 (extended from July 31).
You might have to pay IRS penalties and interest if you file your federal income tax return after the April deadline, your due date isn't extended, and you end up with a tax bill. First, the IRS charges a 5% penalty per month on any tax due if your return is filed late. The penalty is capped at 25% of the tax owed.
Introduction. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on October 29, 2025 has extended timelines for the assessment year 2025–26: tax audit reports must now be submitted by 10 November 2025 and income tax returns by 10 December 2025.
If you don't owe taxes, not filing means no penalties, but you lose out on refunds and credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, and can delay benefits like Social Security or loans; you typically have three years to file and claim a refund, but you must file to get your money back. The IRS won't penalize you for late filing if no tax is due, but you won't receive any overpayments or refundable credits until you file.
If you lodge your own tax return after the 31 October and it results in a tax bill, payment is still due by 21 November and interest can be imposed from that date.
Further, the agency reminds taxpayers that the current lapse in appropriations (the government shutdown) does not affect the tax filing and payment responsibilities of taxpayers. The IRS estimates that more than 20 million taxpayers were expected to file tax returns by the extended due date this year.
Here's a summary of key changes for the 2025 tax year. The seven federal tax brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%) are now permanent. Standard deductions increased, plus a new “bonus” deduction for older adults. Child tax credit increased to $2,200 per qualifying child.
If you file online or through tax software, the IRS will use the date when your filed return was transmitted to determine if it was on time. It must be transmitted on or before midnight on Tax Day to avoid penalties.
Your taxes don't affect your credit scores in any way. However, taking out a loan or credit card to pay your taxes can impact your credit scores.
No, you generally cannot file a second automatic tax extension after the October 15 deadline; the IRS only grants one six-month extension (from April to October) per tax year, and missing the October date means penalties for late filing begin to accrue, unless you qualify for specific exceptions like being in a disaster area or military service. If you missed the October deadline, your priority is to file your return as soon as possible, even if you can't pay everything immediately, to minimize failure-to-file penalties.
Some of the major tax changes effective from April 1, 2025, are revised tax slabs, rebate of up to Rs. 60,000, revised ITRU deadlines, calculation of partner's remuneration allowable as a deduction and revised TDS/TCS threshold limits.
For individuals, the last day to file your 2025 taxes without an extension is April 15, 2026. You can submit Form 4868 to request an extension to file later during the year. The last day to file your tax return isn't the only important tax deadline to know, however.
Effective September 30, 2025, the IRS discontinued the issuance of paper checks for all tax-related refunds. All payments from the IRS will be made electronically via direct deposit, electronic funds transfer, prepaid debit cards, or other approved digital methods.
An extension gives you extra time to file, but not extra time to pay. After you file an extension, if you owe taxes when you file your return, you might also have to pay penalties and interest on the tax due.
ITR Filing Charges:
Salaried ITR Filing: ₹1,000/- Capital Gain / Share Gain-Loss ITR: ₹1,500/- Business ITR – 44AD Return: ₹2,000/- All other ITR Filing: ₹3,000/-
Common Tax Filing Mistakes
If you didn't account for each job across your W-4s, you may not have withheld enough, so your tax refund could be less than expected in 2025. Or, if you had a salary increase in 2024 but didn't update your tax withholding accordingly, you could receive a smaller refund.