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A guide to making payments to the IRS

3 min read


3 min read


While many taxpayers hope to get a tax refund, that’s not always the case. Others might see a reduced refund, or no refund at all (and you owe money to the federal tax administration). If you owe, you need to know how to make an IRS tax payment. Follow along below as we outline several ways to make a tax payment to the IRS. But if you want it done easy, we can help — no matter how you file with H&R Block — We outline details below.

How to Make an IRS Payment

We have good news — making a payment to the IRS is easier than you might think! You can do so online or via mail. Follow the details below for each way of making payments to IRS:

1. How to pay the IRS online:

You can make a payment by credit card, debit card, or IRS Direct Pay through your bank account via the Internal Revenue Service payment website. Tax statistics show this is one of the most popular ways to pay. This works for an individual income tax return, not business. Once you land on the site, you want to use the blue button to sign in to pay and view your payment history. Then when you log in to the online service, you’ll be able to pick a payment option of either:

  • IRS Direct Pay from your bank account (accepts ACH credit/debit or ACI payments)
  • A debit card or credit card
  • A digital wallet application

2. How to mail tax payments to the IRS:

You can mail a check or money order to the address listed on your filing instructions with Tax Form 1040-V.

Mail the payment (check, cashier’s check, or money order) to the U.S. Treasury with the completed Form 1040-V. Enter the amount on the payment method using all numbers, including cents. Include your full legal name, your address, daytime phone number, Social Security number, and tax year. Be sure not to staple or paperclip anything. The IRS address depends on the geographic area you live in. Learn more at IRS.gov.

Independent contractors, businesses, and certain individuals can make EFTPS payments, while individual taxpayers can’t. Please reference IRS Publication 4990 for more information.

What to do if you can’t pay

If, for whatever reason, you can’t pay tax payments, don’t panic. You can request additional time to pay your tax in full or set up an IRS payment plan, otherwise known as an installment agreement.

Instead of initiating an installment agreement, you can request an additional 180 days to pay your full income tax balance. If you do this, you’ll still have penalties and interest until the balance is paid in full. There’s no fee for this short extension of time to pay.

If you file an extension (Form 4868), it’s only an extension of time to file your return. It’s not an extension of time to pay. However, you’ll only be subject to interest (not penalties) if:

  • You paid at least 90% of the tax debt due by the filing deadline
  • You file your tax return
  • You pay the remaining balance by the extension deadline

Need more guidance? Gather more details about steps to take if you can’t pay your taxes.

Need more guidance?

If you owe personal income taxes, don’t worry. H&R Block tax professionals can help you with this topic and other important IRS tax tips. When you file with us online or file a tax pro, we’ll help you make your IRS payments with ease.

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