Tax extension email templates

Form 4868 is the request a US citizen or resident files for an automatic extension of time to file. IRS guidance says directly that an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay, so put a payment estimate in the same email.

IRS Tax Tip 2020-38 also notes that paying all or part of the tax electronically and indicating it is for an extension can trigger the extension without a separate Form 4868. Check the current IRS guidance for the year before relying on it.

Extended returns become a second season. Send a short email when the extension is filed, a missing-items request in early summer and a firm date two to four weeks before the extended deadline.

• Extension filed, with the payment estimate
• Missing items, by name
• Final date to send documents before the extended due date

HelloBooks Practice lists engagement status tracking and deadline auto-scheduling as live, so the extended engagements and their new due dates sit in one list you can send from.