US tax returns are due in two weeks, but millions of people have some extra time to file

If you haven’t sent in your 2023 income tax return yet, you have until April 15 to do so. Unless, that is, you’re among the millions of people who, for different reasons, are granted more time to file later this year.

If you haven’t sent in your 2023 income tax return yet, you have until April 15 to do so. Unless, that is, you’re among the millions of people who, for different reasons, are granted more time to file later this year. That includes those who file for an automatic six-month extension by April 15. Taxpayers who choose this option don’t need to give the IRS any explanation as to why they want an extension. But keep in mind, that extension only gives you more time to file your federal income tax return. You still must pay all your taxes owed for 2023 by the April 15 deadline. Otherwise, you may be hit with a failure-to-pay penalty. So, if you’re in this group and think you still owe the IRS money for last year, estimate how much and send in your payment by the 15th. The next large group of people who don’t have to file by Tax Day are those who live or do business in a locality that was declared a federal disaster area in 2023. If you’re in this group, you’re automatically granted an extension to file as well as an extension to pay what you owe, with no action required on your part. Specific deadlines, however, will differ by location, so check this list if you think you’re affected. And the last group of folks with more time are those who live in Maine and Massachusetts, which observe Patriots’ Day on April 15. For the roughly 4.4 million households in those states, the tax filing and payment deadline will be April 17. The same goes for those living in Washington, D.C., due to the district’s observance of Emancipation Day on April 16. The IRS has already received more than 80 million income tax returns for 2023, according to its most recent figures released Friday. But that is only about half of the total returns it is still expecting to be filed. If your return is among them, whatever your deadline, here are just a few other things to keep in mind as you prepare your 2023 taxes.