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Posted by Elliot Kravitz, ATP

Seven Other Alternatives to IRS Direct Pay

Seven Other Alternatives to IRS Direct Pay

All U.S. citizens do have up to the middle of the fourth month of the year to file in their annual tax. There are, however, other options for extensions based on various factors. There are many ways to make your tax payment. Since there are times the IRS direct pay system gets overwhelmed due to request, we thought to explore other reasonable alternatives with which you can send in your tax.

Online payment using EFTPS.gov

When you register with the Electronic Federal Payment System (EFTPS), you can schedule the payment for as long as possible, up to 365 days. If you have many tax remittance you need to schedule, EFTPS is a good option, especially if they are related to your business.

There are no processing fees on EFTPS. Operated by the Treasury Department, you can use it for any type of tax payment like payroll taxes, corporate taxes, and extension payment. To use the EFTPS for payment, it is essential to enroll. On making a payment, you will be notified via email, and your confirmation number will also be sent to you. You can access payment history for the past 16 months on the portal

Use Your debit or credit card to pay Online

While you can use either your debit or credit card to remit your tax, there are payment processors approved by the IRS that you must use. As of 2019, the IRS approves three processors, and they are:

  • Pay1040.com
  • PayUSATax.com, and 
  • OfficialPayments.com/fed

You might have to pay a processing fee with each carrier, which varies. Depending on your tax situation, however, the charges might be subjected to tax as well. All debit card transactions will pay a flat fee, while credit card users will have to pay a small percentage of their payment.

Mail a Check 

You could write a check to the United States Treasury and mail it if you do not trust the internet. In the memo field, you must supply vital information like your tax form, tax year, and your social security number in the memo field column of your check.

This check will be mailed together with Form 1040-V. You should not staple the check and the voucher. You can get the mailing address on the second page of Form 1040-V. You can also check the IRS website for the right address to mail it to, depending on your state of residence and type of payment.

Pay in Person

For those that prefer the old school way, you can decide to walk up to the local IRS office and make the payment. 

It is, however, advisable to make an appointment on time before going. This will save you the stress of waiting for hours. At times, the office can get so busy that you might not be attended to on that day. 

There are IRS "retail partners" that can help transmit your payment. You can get a list of these participating retail payment stores at OfficialPayments.com/fed. The "Official Extras" tab has a "PayNearMe" option that can assist you.

This option is, however, not recommended if your tax is due in a couple of days. The stores need several days to process your payments. Both options give the liberty of paying by cash.

Use and Electronic Funds Withdrawal System 

With a tax preparation software, you can have a direct debit from your checking account. You can then e-file your return through a tax professional or personally. It is simple and easy, as all you have to do is supply your banking info to your software.

Use a Wire Service from Your Bank 

While this is not public knowledge, banks can help with a wire transfer to the IRS, which will be actualized the same day. Depending on the payment amount, the fees also varies. Note, however, that bank might not agree to wire a tax amount of $5.

Concluding Remarks

Workaround your withholding to have more money sent to the IRS from your salary or pension payment. You can make the necessary arrangements with your employers to take care of this. Bear in mind that even if you overpay the IRS, you will have more tax returns.

Elliot Kravitz, ATP
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