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

2010

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 or debit card. 3. You can file a paper Form 4868.

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 2009 tax returnyou 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).

Its Convenient, Safe, and Secure

IRS e-file is the IRSs 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 3). 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). Several companies offer free e-filing of Form 4868 through the Free File program. For more details, go to IRS.gov and click on freefile.

Pay by Credit or Debit Card

You can get an extension if you pay part or all of your estimate of income tax due by using a credit or debit card. Your payment must be at least $1. You can pay by phone or over the Internet (see page 3).

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.

General Instructions
Purpose of Form
Use Form 4868 to apply for 6 more months (4 if out of the country (defined on page 2) and a U.S. citizen or resident) to file Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 1040-PR, or 1040-SS. Gift tax return (Form 709). An extension of time to file your 2010 calendar year income tax return also extends the time to file Form 709 for 2010. However, it does not extend the time to pay any gift tax you may owe for 2010. To make a payment of gift 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 2010, see the instructions for Forms 709 and 8892. 1. Properly estimate your 2010 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 the time CAUTION 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 page 2. 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.

Qualifying for the Extension

To get the extra time you must:

DETACH HERE

Form

4868
Identification

Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
For calendar year 2010, or other tax year beginning

OMB No. 1545-0074

Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service (99)

Part I

Part II Individual Income Tax

4 Estimate of total tax liability for 2010 . 5 Total 2010 payments . . . . . . .

, 2010, ending

, 20

2010
$

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

City, town, or post office 2 Your social security number

State

ZIP Code

3 Spouse's social security number

6 Balance due. Subtract line 5 from line 4 (see instructions) . . . . . . . 7 Amount you are paying (see instructions) 8 Check here if you are out of the country and a U.S. citizen or resident (see instructions) . . . . . . 9 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

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

Form 4868 (2010)

Form 4868 (2010)

Page 2

When To File Form 4868

File Form 4868 by April 18, 2011. 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, 2011. 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 physical presence tests. If you do not expect to meet either of those tests by the due date of your return, request an 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, 2011, check the box on line 9.

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 of 1% of any tax (other than estimated tax) not paid by April 18, 2011. It is charged for each month or part of a month the tax is unpaid. The maximum penalty is 25%. 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 2010 tax liability is paid before the regular due date of your return through withholding, estimated tax payments, or payments made with Form 4868.

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.

How To Claim Credit for Payment Made With This Form

When you file your 2010 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 68. Form 1040A, line 44. Form 1040EZ, line 10. Form 1040NR, line 63. Form 1040NR-EZ, line 21. Form 1040-PR, line 10. Form 1040-SS, line 10. If you and your spouse each filed a separate Form 4868 but later file a joint return for 2010, enter the total paid with both Forms 4868 on the appropriate line of your joint return.

Total Time Allowed

Generally, we cannot extend the due date of your return for more than 6 months (October 17, 2011, 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.

Interest
You will owe interest on any tax not paid by the regular due date of your return, even if you qualify for the 2-month extension because

Form 4868 (2010)

Page 3

If you and your spouse jointly file Form 4868 but later file separate returns for 2010, 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.

Specific Instructions
How To Complete Form 4868
Part IIdentification
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 agents name (as well as your own) and the agents 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 at 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. If you already have an ITIN, enter it wherever your SSN is requested. If you do not have an ITIN, 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 5Estimate of Total Payments for 2010

Enter on line 5 the total payments you expect to report on your 2010: Form 1040, line 72 (excluding line 68). Form 1040A, line 44. Form 1040EZ, line 10. Form 1040NR, line 68 (excluding line 63). Form 1040NR-EZ, line 21. Form 1040-PR, line 10. Form 1040-SS, line 10. For Forms 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR-EZ, 1040-PR, and 1040-SS, do not include on line 5 the amount you are CAUTION paying with this Form 4868.

Line 6Balance Due

Subtract line 5 from line 4. If line 5 is more than line 4, enter -0-.

Line 7Amount 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.

Line 8Out 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 9Form 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, 2011, check the box on line 9.

Part IIIndividual 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.

How To Make a Payment With Your Application

Making Payments Electronically
For information on paying your taxes electronically, including by credit or debit card, go to www.irs.gov/e-pay. Confirmation number. You will receive a confirmation number when you pay by credit or debit card. Enter the confirmation number below and keep for your records.

Line 4Estimate of Total Tax Liability for 2010

Enter on line 4 the total tax liability you expect to report on your 2010: Form 1040, line 60. Form 1040A, line 37. Form 1040EZ, line 11. Form 1040NR, line 59. Form 1040NR-EZ, line 17. Form 1040-PR, line 5. Form 1040-SS, line 5. 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 CAUTION not reasonable, the extension will be null and void.

Enter confirmation number here 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 on page 4. 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 2010 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.

Version A, Cycle 8 Form 4868 (2010) Page 4 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 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 P.O. Box 970028 St. Louis, MO 63197-0028 P.O. Box 1302 Charlotte, NC 28201-1302 USA P.O. Box 1302 Charlotte, NC 28201-1302 USA And you are not making a payment, send Form 4868 to Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service Center: Atlanta, GA 39901-0045 Kansas City, MO 64999-0045 Austin, TX 73301-0045 Fresno, CA 93888-0045 Fresno, CA 93888-0045 Kansas City, MO 64999-0045 Austin, TX 73301-0215 USA Austin, TX 73301-0045 USA

Where To File a Paper Form 4868

If you live in: Florida, Georgia Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia A foreign country, U.S. possession or territory*, or use an APO or FPO address, or file Form 2555, 2555-EZ, or 4563, or are a dual-status alien. Form 1040-SS or Form 1040-PR

*If you live in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or the Northern Mariana Islands, see Pub. 570.

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. 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 CAUTION IRS P.O. box address.

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.

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