First take note that if you’re paying your taxes through the mail that there is NO extension, you must still have your taxes postmarked April 17th and send payment with your filing to avoid late fees. If however, like many Americans (and myself) you e-file the federal government has granted a one day extension, to April 18th, to file.

“This is the busiest tax day of the year, and the IRS apologizes for the inconvenience this system issue caused for taxpayers,” said Acting IRS Commissioner David Kautter. “The IRS appreciates everyone’s patience during this period. The extra time will help taxpayers affected by this situation.”

It was especially helpful to me tonight because even though the system was back up when I went to e-file, my TurboTax software told me that if I was making an electronic payment, that the date I chose for the payment would have to be one day AFTER my e-filing. I was looking at having to find out which post office here in the valley I could take my taxes to and still get an April 17th postmark. Thankfully, I don’t have to do that now. If you’re in the same boat as me you might want to take note of this because if you wait to file electronically until tomorrow, your tax software will make you choose the 19th for you e-payment at the earliest. So you’ll either have to suck up the late pay penalties or print the dang thing out and go to the post office. Obviously I just e-filed mine and made my payment.

Just for the piece of mind that you’re not just taking the word of some disc jockey, lol, here is the official IRS article on the one day extension to e-file.

Phew did I get lucky!