As a reminder, it is your civic obligation to pay your federal and state income taxes. In addition to federal law, the ethical standards of conduct rule in 5 CFR § 2635.809 and DHS Directive 0480.1 hold Executive Branch employees accountable for paying taxes. Federal employees must make an honest attempt to fulfill all just financial obligations, especially those such as federal, state, or local taxes that are imposed by law.
To remain compliant, you must:
- Withhold the proper tax amount from your wages.
- File your tax return by the filing deadline or file an extension.
- Make timely payments, or make arrangements to pay the proper amount of tax due.
- An extension of time to file is NOT an extension of time to pay.
- Serious tax compliance problems could arise if you under-withhold or owe an estimated tax penalty.
- Contact the IRS to discuss your payment options. The IRS may be able to provide a short-term extension to pay, an installment agreement, or a compromise.
- Review your return for accuracy and keep proper records, i.e., a copy of IRS e-file confirmation or a return receipt as you may need to prove that you filed your return on time.
- Act quickly if you discover a tax problem after you file your return and respond to any correspondence from the IRS.
Deadlines to File Federal and State Tax
For most people, federal taxes must be filed by April 15 each year. If that date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due date is delayed until the next business day.
The deadline to file state tax returns varies by state. To ensure you file your state returns in a timely manner, check with your applicable state department of taxation office.
Watch Out for Scams
Please be aware of tax scams and other suspicious activity. Although tax scams take many forms, two common tactics are phone calls or emails from thieves pretending to be the IRS. You can find more information about tax scams and consumer alerts, as well as how to report suspected fraud, on the IRS website.
Need Assistance with Filing Taxes?
The IRS is prepared to assist you in meeting your federal tax obligations and offers a wide variety of useful online tools, products, and information on their website. You can also get live telephone assistance by calling 800-829-1040 (TTY/TDD 800-829-4059), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in your local time zone.