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Individual : Important Tax Preparation Dates

For any tax payer it is important to know and remember the deadlines prescribed for meeting the defined tax obligations.It is however, not easy always to remember every prescribed deadline and therefore we have tried to give below important month wise dates which a tax payer needs to remember.

January 18

• Pay your estimated tax for the tax-year if you haven’t paid income tax for the tax-year through withholding (or did not pay enough tax in that way). This is final installment date for estimated tax payment and for this Use Form 1040-ES. And if you file your yearly return (Form 1040) and pay any tax due by January 31 of the year, you do not have to make this payment.

January 31 for Individuals who must make estimated tax payments

• If you haven’t paid last installment of estimated tax by January 18, you may choose (but not required) to file income tax return (Form 1040) for the year by January 31 of the year. Paying any tax and filing return before due date i.e. January 31 prevents any penalty for late payment of estimated tax installment. If you haven’t filed and paid tax by January 31, you can file and pay tax before or on April 15.

February 15

• Last year if you claimed exemption from income tax withholding through Form W-4 and gave it to your employer, must file a new Form W-4 by this date to continue your exemption for this year and next year.

April 15

• Pay tax if any due and file income tax return (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) for the year.
• File Form 4868 i.e. Application for Automatic Extension of 4-months extension to file the return, you can get an extension by phone or over the Internet to file U.S. Individual Income Tax Return or Then, file Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ before or on August 15.
• File Form 2688 if you need an additional 2-month extension to file U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. File it as soon as possible, so that application can be acted on before August 15.
• If you had not paid income tax through withholding (or will not pay that way), pay first installment of estimated tax for the tax-year. Use Form 1040-ES.
  

June 15

• U.S. citizen or resident alien living and working (or on military duty) outside the United States and Puerto Rico have to file Form 1040 and pay any tax, interest, and penalties due on this date. If want additional time to file the return, file Form 4868 and get 2 months extension to file. Then, file Form 1040 by August 15.
• If still additional time needed, file Form 2688 for additional 2 months as early as possible so that application can be entertained before or on August 15.
• If tax payer is a participant in combat zone, then able to further extension for filing deadline. Get more on Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide.
• Pay second installment of estimated tax, if not paying income tax for the year through withholding (or will not pay in that way). Use Form 1040-ES. For more information, see Publication 505.
  

August 15

• If having an automatic 4-month extension to file the return, file Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ and pay any tax, interest, and penalties due.
• If need an additional 2-month extension, file Form 2688 now.

September 15

• Pay estimated tax if not paying any income tax through withholding (or will not pay in that way). Use Form 1040-ES for this, which would be third installment date for estimated tax. For more information, see Publication 505.

October 17

• Pay tax, interest and penalties if any due.
• File income tax return for the year if an additional 2-month extension for return filing has been taken.