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2025 Tax Deadlines You Need to Know

Marianne Hayes profile imageBy Marianne Hayes
4 min readNov 6, 2024
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Quick Answer

The deadline to file your 2024 tax return is April 15, 2025 in most cases, but you can apply for a six-month extension. Here are several other key tax dates to put on your calendar.

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If you're bringing in income, the IRS is probably expecting to receive a tax return come tax time. That's true whether you're a nine-to-five employee, a freelancer or an entrepreneur. The 2025 tax filing deadline is April 15 in most states. This is when you'll file your tax return to report your income and deductions for the previous year.

There may be some other key dates to have on your calendar as well. Here's a rundown of important 2025 tax deadlines. Knowing them could help you avoid surprise penalties from the IRS.

When Are Taxes Due in 2025?

The deadline to file your 2024 individual tax return is April 15, 2025 (or April 17 if you live in Maine or Massachusetts). However, individuals and businesses that were affected by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton may have until May 1, 2025 to file their returns and make tax payments.

The April 15 deadline is usually the same every year, but if that date falls on a holiday or weekend, your tax return will be due the next business day. Folks who need a little extra time to file can request a six-month tax extension. That would push your due date to October 15.

Keep in mind that business tax returns are due on a different timeline.

Key Tax Deadlines to Know in 2025

Your tax liability isn't something you want to brush off. (We'll dig into this more shortly.) Below are important tax dates for individuals.

  • January 15: Due date for final estimated tax payment for 2024. This applies to self-employed people who don't have taxes automatically withheld from their pay. January 15 is the due date to pay taxes on income earned from September 1 through December 31, 2024.
  • January 29: IRS begins accepting 2024 tax returns. You don't have to wait until April to file your tax return. Doing it sooner can help you collect a tax refund sooner.
  • April 15: Due date in most states to file your 2024 tax return. Be sure to gather all relevant tax documents. That includes:

  • April 15: First estimated tax payment due for 2025. Self-employed workers are expected to make estimated quarterly tax payments. This first payment applies to income earned from January 1 through March 31, 2025.
  • June 16: Due date for second estimated tax payment for 2025. This payment applies to income earned from April 1 through May 31.
  • September 15: Due date for third estimated tax payment for 2025. This payment is for income earned from June 1 through August 31.
  • October 15: Last day to file your 2024 tax return with an extension. This is the last day to file your tax return, assuming you've been granted a six-month extension. But you'll still need to estimate your 2024 tax liability and pay it by the April deadline. You can calculate your liability by using Form 1040-ES or working with a tax professional.

Important Tax Filing Dates for Businesses in 2025

Individuals aren't the only ones who have to pay taxes. Businesses are also required to pay their share to the IRS. Here are some key dates for business owners.

  • January 31: If your business had employees in 2024, you'll need to submit your W-2 forms to the IRS—and to your employees—by the end of January. This is also the due date to submit 1099 forms for independent contractors.
  • March 17: S-corporations and partnerships must file their 2024 business tax return by this date.
  • April 15: This is the deadline for corporations to file their 2024 return.
  • September 15: This is the last day for S-corporations and partnerships to file their business return with an extension.
  • October 15: Corporations that received a tax extension must file their 2024 tax return by this date.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can expect to pay penalties and interest if you file your return late or underpay your taxes.

  • Filing your taxes late: This usually results in a penalty of 5% of the total taxes you owe for every month your tax return is late. Fees are capped at 25% of your unpaid taxes.
  • Paying your taxes late: The penalty is 0.5% of the tax owed for each month, or part of a month, your bill remains unpaid. These fees also max out at 25%. Enrolling in an IRS payment plan can cut your penalty in half.

If you don't file your return on time and haven't paid your tax bill, you'll be on the hook for a 5% combined penalty for the first five months. When your late-filing penalty reaches 22.5% of your owed taxes, you'll continue being charged a late-payment penalty of 0.5% until it reaches 25%. These penalties can add up to a combined maximum of 47.5%: 22.5% for filing late and 25% for late payment.

If you're due a tax refund, file electronically and enroll in direct deposit, you'll likely receive payment within three weeks, according to the IRS. Those who file a paper tax return should receive payment in about six to eight weeks.

Need more time? You can file a six-month extension by:

  1. Estimating your tax liability: You can do this by subtracting your tax credits and deductions from your total income. A tax professional can be a helpful resource here.
  2. Subtracting any taxes you've already paid: You may have paid a portion through estimated tax payments or through payroll withholding (when your employer withholds part of your pay for taxes).
  3. Making a full or partial payment to the IRS: Remember that your payment is due by the April tax filing deadline. You can pay this electronically and indicate that it's for an extension. You could also request an extension online or submit Form 4868.

If you notice a mistake after you've filed your tax return, don't stress. You can correct the error by submitting Form 1040-X.

The Bottom Line

Figuring out how much you owe in taxes—and filing all the paperwork correctly—might feel overwhelming. Using tax software or working with a tax professional can make the journey a little easier. What matters most is submitting your return on time and making good on your tax payments. If you have a large tax bill, an IRS payment plan may be worth considering.

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About the author

Marianne Hayes

Marianne Hayes

Marianne Hayes is a longtime freelance writer who's been covering personal finance for nearly a decade. She specializes in everything from debt management and budgeting to investing and saving. Marianne has written for CNBC, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping and more.

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