Free 2008 Form 4868 - Federal


File Size: 276.1 kB
Pages: 4
Date: December 12, 2008
File Format: PDF
State: Federal
Category: Tax Forms
Author: SE:W:CAR:MP
Word Count: 3,956 Words, 22,456 Characters
Page Size: 611.976 x 791.968 pts (letter)
URL

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf

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Preview 2008 Form 4868
Form

4868

Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service (99)

Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

OMB No. 1545-0074

2008

There are three ways to request an automatic extension of time to file a U.S. individual income tax return. 1. You can file Form 4868 electronically by accessing IRS e-file using your home computer or by using a tax professional who uses e-file. 2. You can pay all or part of your estimate of income tax due using a credit card. 3. You can file a paper Form 4868. The first two options are discussed under IRS e-file, next. Filing a paper Form 4868 is discussed later on this page.

E-file Using Your Personal Computer or Through a Tax Professional
Refer to your tax software package or tax preparer for ways to file electronically. Be sure to have a copy of your 2007 tax return--you will be asked to provide information from the return for taxpayer verification. If you wish to make a payment, you can pay by electronic funds withdrawal or send your check or money order to the address shown in the middle column under Where To File a Paper Form 4868. See page 4.

Pay by Credit Card

It's Convenient, Safe, and Secure
IRS e-file is the IRS's electronic filing program. You can get an automatic extension of time to file your tax return by filing Form 4868 electronically. You will receive an electronic acknowledgment once you complete the transaction. Keep it with your records. Do not send in Form 4868 if you file electronically, unless you are making a payment with a check or money order. (See page 4.) Complete Form 4868 to use as a worksheet. If you think you may owe tax when you file your return, you will need to estimate your total tax liability and subtract how much you have already paid (lines 4, 5, and 6 below). You can apply for an extension by e-filing Form 4868 from a home computer or through a tax professional who uses e-file. Several companies offer free e-filing of Form 4868 through the Free File program. For more details, go to www.irs.gov and enter "Free File" in the search box at the top of the page. You can also apply for an extension by paying part or all of your estimate of income tax due by using a credit card. See Pay by Credit Card later on this page.

You can get an extension if you pay part or all of your estimate of income tax due by using a credit card (American Express® Card, Discover® Card, MasterCard® card, or Visa® card). Your payment must be at least $1. You can pay by phone or over the Internet. See page 4.

File a Paper Form 4868
If you wish to file on paper instead of electronically, fill in the Form 4868 below and mail it to the address shown on page 4. For information on using a private delivery service, see page 4. Note. If you are a fiscal year taxpayer, you must file a paper Form 4868.

DETACH HERE

Form

4868
Identification

Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service (99)

Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
For calendar year 2008, or other tax year beginning , 2008, ending , 200 .

OMB No. 1545-0074

2008
$

Part I

Part II
4 5 6 7 8 9

Individual Income Tax

1 Your name(s) (see instructions) Address (see instructions)

Estimate of total tax liability for 2008 Total 2008 payments Balance due. Subtract line 5 from line 4 (see instructions)

Amount you are paying (see instructions)
Check here if you are "out of the country" and a U.S. citizen or resident (see instructions) Check here if you file Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ and did not receive wages as an employee subject to U.S. income tax withholding
Cat. No. 13141W Form

City, town, or post office

State

ZIP code

2 Your social security number

3 Spouse's social security number

For Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see page 4.

4868

(2008)

Form 4868 (2008)

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2

General Instructions
Purpose of Form
Use Form 4868 to apply for 6 more months (4 if "out of the country" (defined later on this page) and a U.S. citizen or resident) to file Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, or 1040NR-EZ. Gift or generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax return (Form 709). An extension of time to file your 2008 calendar year income tax return also extends the time to file Form 709 for 2008. However, it does not extend the time to pay any gift or GST tax you may owe for 2008. To make a payment of gift or GST tax, see Form 8892. If you do not pay the amount due by the regular due date for Form 709, you will owe interest and may also be charged penalties. If the donor died during 2008, see the instructions for Forms 709 and 8892. extension to a date after you expect to qualify using Form 2350, Application for Extension of Time To File U.S. Income Tax Return.

You are out of the country if:
You live outside the United States and Puerto Rico and your main place of work is outside the United States and Puerto Rico, or You are in military or naval service outside the United States and Puerto Rico. If you qualify as being out of the country, you will still be eligible for the extension even if you are physically present in the United States or Puerto Rico on the regular due date of the return. For more information on extensions for taxpayers out of the country, see Pub. 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad. Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ filers. If you cannot file your return by the due date, you should file Form 4868. You must file Form 4868 by the regular due date of the return. If you did not receive wages as an employee subject to U.S. income tax withholding, and your return is due June 15, 2009, check the box on line 9.

Qualifying for the Extension
To get the extra time you must: 1. Properly estimate your 2008 tax liability using the information available to you, 2. Enter your total tax liability on line 4 of Form 4868, and 3. File Form 4868 by the regular due date of your return. Although you are not required to make a payment of the tax you estimate as due, Form 4868 does not extend CAUTION the time to pay taxes. If you do not pay the amount due by the regular due date, you will owe interest. You may also be charged penalties. For more details, see Interest and Late Payment Penalty on this page. Any remittance you make with your application for extension will be treated as a payment of tax. You do not have to explain why you are asking for the extension. We will contact you only if your request is denied. Do not file Form 4868 if you want the IRS to figure your tax or you are under a court order to file your return by the regular due date.

Total Time Allowed
Generally, we cannot extend the due date of your return for more than 6 months (October 15, 2009, for most calendar year taxpayers). However, there may be an exception if you are living out of the country. See Pub. 54 for more information.

Filing Your Tax Return
You can file your tax return any time before the extension expires. Do not attach a copy of Form 4868 to your return.

When To File Form 4868
File Form 4868 by April 15, 2009. Fiscal year taxpayers, file Form 4868 by the regular due date of the return. Taxpayers who are out of the country. If, on the regular due date of your return, you are out of the country and a U.S. citizen or resident, you are allowed 2 extra months to file your return and pay any amount due without requesting an extension. For a calendar year return, this is June 15, 2009. File this form and be sure to check the box on line 8 if you need an additional 4 months to file your return. If you are out of the country and a U.S. citizen or resident, you may qualify for special tax treatment if you meet the foreign residence or presence tests. If you do not expect to meet either of those tests by the due date of your return, request an

Interest
You will owe interest on any tax not paid by the regular due date of your return. This is April 15, 2009, for a 2008 calendar year return even if you qualify for the 2-month extension because you were out of the country. The interest runs until you pay the tax. Even if you had a good reason for not paying on time, you will still owe interest.

Late Payment Penalty
The late payment penalty is usually 1/ 2 of 1% of any tax (other than estimated tax) not paid by the regular due date. It is charged for each month or part of a month the tax is unpaid. The maximum penalty is 25%.

Form 4868 (2008)

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3

The late payment penalty will not be charged if you can show reasonable cause for not paying on time. Attach a statement to your return fully explaining the reason. Do not attach the statement to Form 4868. You are considered to have reasonable cause for the period covered by this automatic extension if at least 90% of your actual 2008 tax liability is paid before the regular due date of your return through withholding, estimated tax payments, or payments made with Form 4868.

How To Claim Credit for Payment Made With This Form
When you file your 2008 return, include the amount of any payment you made with Form 4868 on the appropriate line of your tax return. The instructions for the following line of your tax return will tell you how to report the payment. Form 1040, line 67. Form 1040A, line 43. Form 1040EZ, line 10. Form 1040NR, line 62. Form 1040NR-EZ, line 21. If you and your spouse each filed a separate Form 4868 but later file a joint return for 2008, enter the total paid with both Forms 4868 on the appropriate line of your joint return. If you and your spouse jointly file Form 4868 but later file separate returns for 2008, you can enter the total amount paid with Form 4868 on either of your separate returns. Or you and your spouse can divide the payment in any agreed amounts. Be sure each separate return has the social security numbers of both spouses.

Late Filing Penalty
A late filing penalty is usually charged if your return is filed after the due date (including extensions). The penalty is usually 5% of the amount due for each month or part of a month your return is late. The maximum penalty is 25%. If your return is more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $135 or the balance of the tax due on your return, whichever is smaller. You might not owe the penalty if you have a reasonable explanation for filing late. Attach a statement to your return fully explaining the reason. Do not attach the statement to Form 4868.

Specific Instructions
How To Complete Form 4868
Part I--Identification
Enter your name(s) and address. If you plan to file a joint return, include both spouses' names in the order in which they will appear on the return. If you want correspondence regarding this extension to be sent to you at an address other than your own, enter that address. If you want the correspondence sent to an agent acting for you, include the agent's name (as well as your own) and the agent's address. If you changed your name after you filed your last return because of marriage, divorce, etc., be sure to report this to the Social Security Administration before filing Form 4868. This prevents delays in processing your extension request. If you changed your mailing address after you filed your last return, you should use Form 8822, Change of Address, to notify the IRS of the change. Showing a new address on Form 4868 will not update your record. You can get IRS forms by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676). You can also download forms from the IRS website at www.irs.gov. If you plan to file a joint return, enter on line 2 the social security number (SSN) that you will show first on your return. Enter on line 3 the other SSN to be shown on the joint return. IRS individual taxpayer identification numbers (ITINs) for aliens. If you are a nonresident or resident alien and you do not have and are not eligible to get an SSN, you must apply for an ITIN. Although an ITIN is not required to file Form 4868, you will need one to file your income tax return. For details on how to apply for an ITIN, see Form W-7 and its instructions. Allow 8­10 weeks for the IRS to notify you of your ITIN. If you already have an ITIN, enter it wherever your SSN is requested. If you are applying for an ITIN on Form W-7, enter "ITIN TO BE REQUESTED" wherever your SSN is requested. An ITIN is for tax use only. It does not entitle you to social security benefits or change your employment or CAUTION immigration status under U.S. law.

Line 4--Estimate of Total Tax Liability for 2008
Enter on line 4 the total tax liability you expect to report on your 2008: Form 1040, line 61. Form 1040A, line 37. Form 1040EZ, line 11. Form 1040NR, line 57. Form 1040NR-EZ, line 17. If you expect this amount to be zero, enter -0-. Make your estimate as accurate as you can with the information you have. If we later find that the estimate was not reasonable, the extension will be null and void.

CAUTION

Line 5--Estimate of Total Payments for 2008
Enter on line 5 the total payments you expect to report on your 2008: Form Form Form Form Form 1040, line 71 (excluding line 67). 1040A, line 43. 1040EZ, line 10. 1040NR, line 69 (excluding line 62). 1040NR-EZ, line 21. For Forms 1040A, 1040EZ, and 1040NR-EZ, do not include on line 5 the amount you are paying with this Form 4868.

CAUTION

Line 6--Balance Due
Subtract line 5 from line 4. If line 5 is more than line 4, enter -0-.

Line 7--Amount You Are Paying
If you find you cannot pay the amount shown on line 6, you can still get the extension. But you should pay as much as you can to limit the amount of interest you will owe. Also, you may be charged the late payment penalty on the unpaid tax from the regular due date of your return. See Late Payment Penalty on page 2.

Part II--Individual Income Tax
Rounding off to whole dollars. You can round off cents to whole dollars on Form 4868. If you do round to whole dollars, you must round all amounts. To round, drop amounts under 50 cents and increase amounts from 50 to 99 cents to the next dollar. For example, $1.39 becomes $1 and $2.50 becomes $3. If you have to add two or more amounts to figure the amount to enter on a line, include cents when adding the amounts and round off only the total.

Line 8--Out of the Country
If you are out of the country on the regular due date of your return, check the box on line 8. "Out of the country" is defined on page 2.

Line 9--Form 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ Filers
If you did not receive wages subject to U.S. income tax withholding, and your return is due June 15, 2009, check the box on line 9.

Form 4868 (2008)

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4

How To Make a Payment With Your Application
Pay by Electronic Funds Withdrawal
If you e-file using your personal computer or through a tax professional, you can make a payment by authorizing an electronic funds withdrawal from your checking or savings account. Check with your financial institution to make sure that an electronic funds withdrawal is allowed and to get the correct routing and account numbers. If you owe tax and wish to have the money electronically withdrawn from your account, you will be asked to make the following declaration:
I authorize the U.S. Treasury and its designated Financial Agent to initiate an ACH electronic funds withdrawal entry to the financial institution account indicated for payment of my federal taxes and the financial institution to debit the entry to this account. To revoke a payment, I must contact the U.S. Treasury Financial Agent at 1-888-353-4537 no later than 2 business days prior to the payment (settlement) date. I also authorize the financial institutions involved in the processing of the electronic payment of taxes to receive confidential information necessary to answer inquiries and resolve issues related to the payment.

the providers. You will be told what the fee is during the transaction and you will have the option to either continue or cancel the transaction. You can also find out what the fee will be by calling the provider's toll-free automated customer service number or visiting the provider's website shown below. Do not add the convenience fee to your tax payment.
Official Payments Corporation 1-800-2PAY-TAXsm (1-800-272-9829) 1-877-754-4413 (Customer Service) www.officialpayments.com Link2Gov Corporation 1-888-PAY-1040sm (1-888-729-1040) 1-888-658-5465 (Customer Service) www.PAY1040.com

Confirmation number. You will receive a confirmation number when you pay by credit card. Enter the confirmation number below and keep for your records. Enter confirmation number here Do not file a paper Form 4868.

Note. This is your written copy of the electronic funds withdrawal authorization you made to have the amount you owe withdrawn. Keep it for your records. Do not file a paper Form 4868.

Pay by Check or Money Order
When paying by check or money order with Form 4868, use the appropriate address in the middle column under Where To File a Paper Form 4868 below. Make your check or money order payable to the "United States Treasury." Do not send cash. Write your social security number, daytime phone number, and "2008 Form 4868" on your check or money order. Do not staple or attach your payment to Form 4868. Note. If you e-file Form 4868 and mail a check or money order to the IRS for payment, use a completed paper Form 4868 as a voucher.
And you are making a payment, send Form 4868 with your payment to Internal Revenue Service: P.O. Box 105050 Atlanta, GA 30348-5050 P.O. Box 37003 Hartford, CT 06176-0003 P.O. Box 37009 Hartford, CT 06176-0009 P.O. Box 1302, Charlotte, NC 28201-1302 P.O. Box 7122 San Francisco, CA 94120-7122 P.O. Box 802503 Cincinnati, OH 45280-2503 And you are not making a payment, send Form 4868 to Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center: Atlanta, GA 39901-0002 Andover, MA 05501-0002 Kansas City, MO 64999-0002 Austin, TX 73301-0002 Fresno, CA 93888-0002 Fresno, CA 93888-0002

Pay by Credit Card
You can apply for an extension by paying part or all of your estimate of tax due by credit card. To pay by credit card, call toll-free or visit the website of either service provider listed below and follow the instructions. You can use your American Express® Card, Discover® Card, MasterCard® card, or Visa® card. A convenience fee will be charged by the service provider based on the amount you are paying. Fees may vary between

Where To File a Paper Form 4868
If you live in: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia American Samoa or Puerto Rico (or exclude income under section 933); are a nonresident alien or nonpermanent resident of Guam or the Virgin Islands*; have an APO or FPO or foreign address; are a dual-status alien; or file Form 2555, 2555-EZ, or 4563.

P.O. Box 970028 St. Louis, MO 63197-0028

Kansas City, MO 64999-0002

P.O. Box 1302, Charlotte, NC 28201-1302

Austin, TX 73301-0215 USA

*Permanent residents of Guam should use: Department of Revenue and Taxation, Government of Guam, P.O. Box 23607, GMF, GU 96921; permanent residents of the Virgin Islands should use: V.I. Bureau of Internal Revenue, 9601 Estate Thomas, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, VI 00802.

Private Delivery Services
You can use certain private delivery services designated by the IRS to meet the "timely mailing as timely filing/paying" rule for tax returns and payments. These private delivery services include only the following. DHL Express (DHL): DHL Same Day Service, DHL Next Day 10:30 am, DHL Next Day 12:00 pm, DHL Next Day 3:00 pm, and DHL 2nd Day Service. Federal Express (FedEx): FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2 Day, FedEx International Priority, and FedEx International First. United Parcel Service (UPS): UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day Air Saver, UPS 2nd Day Air, UPS 2nd Day Air A.M., UPS Worldwide Express Plus, and UPS Worldwide Express. The private delivery service can tell you how to get written proof of the mailing date. Private delivery services cannot deliver items to P.O. boxes. You must use the U.S. Postal Service to mail any item to an IRS P.O. CAUTION box address. Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask for the information on this form to carry out the Internal Revenue laws of the United States. We need this information so that our records will reflect your intention to file your

individual income tax return within 6 months after the regular due date. If you choose to apply for an automatic extension of time to file, you are required by Internal Revenue Code section 6081 to provide the information requested on this form. Under section 6109, you must disclose your social security number or individual taxpayer identification number. Routine uses of this information include giving it to the Department of Justice for civil and criminal litigation, and to cities, states, and the District of Columbia for use in administering their tax laws. We may also disclose this information to other countries under a tax treaty, to federal and state agencies to enforce federal nontax criminal laws, or to federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat terrorism. If you fail to provide this information in a timely manner or provide incomplete or false information, you may be liable for penalties and interest. You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a form or its instructions must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any Internal Revenue law. Generally, tax returns and return information are confidential, as required by Internal Revenue Code section 6103. The average time and expenses required to complete and file this form will vary depending on individual circumstances. For the estimated averages, see the instructions for your income tax return. If you have suggestions for making this form simpler, we would be happy to hear from you. See the instructions for your income tax return.