BOISE — For those who can’t file their taxes by the April 18 deadline, the Idaho State Tax Commission recommends paying enough of the total tax due by April 18 and getting an automatic six-month extension.
To qualify, taxpayers need to pay one of the following:
* 80% of the estimated tax owed for 2022
* 100% of the total tax reported on their 2021 income tax return (if they filed a return)
An automatic extension means they don’t have to send a written request. But an extension of time to file their return isn’t an extension of time to pay their tax. With a valid extension, payers can avoid a penalty for filing late but will owe 5% annual interest on any tax they owe after April 18 until they pay it.
To see if they qualify for an extension, taxpayers need to complete the worksheet on Idaho Form 51 (https://tax.idaho.gov/document-mngr/forms_EFO00092), Estimated Payment of Individual Income Tax. The worksheet will help to figure out if they owe more tax beyond any payments they’ve made or any amounts withheld from their paychecks or unemployment checks. Payers can find Form 51 at tax.idaho.gov (https://tax.idaho.gov/).
To make a payment and avoid a filing penalty, do one of the following:
* Mail Form 51 with a check or money order.
* Make an online payment through the Idaho State Tax Commission website. See the E-Pay page at tax.idaho.gov/epay (https://tax.idaho.gov/online-services/e-pay/). The free Quick Pay (https://idahotap.gentax.com/tap?Link=QuickPay) service lets you make an online payment without creating a special account.
* Make a payment at any Tax Commission office (https://tax.idaho.gov/contact-us/visit-us/).
If someone qualifies for an extension to file, they must file their Idaho tax return and pay any tax and interest due by October 16, 2023.
For more information, call the Tax Commission at (208) 334-7660 in the Boise area or toll free at (800) 972-7660.