Tax guides
How to file a late 2025 tax return
Reviewed by Ahmad Odeh, Enrolled Agent ·
If you didn't file your 2025 return on time, you can still do it, and the sooner you do, the less it will cost you. This guide explains which penalties the IRS charges, when there's no penalty, and how to file your late return online.
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If you're getting a refund, there's no penalty for filing late
IRS penalties are figured on the tax you haven't paid. If more was withheld than you owe and you're due a refund, there's no penalty for filing late. But you won't get the refund until you file, and you generally have only three years from the return's due date to claim it; after that, the money is lost.
If you owe tax: the two penalties
The failure-to-file penalty is ten times bigger than the failure-to-pay penalty. So even if you can't pay, file your return as soon as possible and ask for a payment plan if you need one. The IRS decides whether to approve a plan, and IRS fees and interest may apply.
- Failure-to-file penalty: 5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month you're late, up to 25%.
- Failure-to-pay penalty: 0.5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month, up to 25%.
- Interest: the IRS charges interest on the tax, and on the penalties too, until everything is paid.
If you filed an extension
An extension gives you more time to file your return, but not more time to pay. If you owe tax, the failure-to-pay penalty and interest run from the original due date, even if you filed an extension.
How to file your late 2025 return online
With Vordana Tax, you can prepare and e-file your 2025 federal return in English or Spanish. If you owe, you can pay when you file or request an IRS payment plan with Form 9465 right inside your return. The IRS decides whether to approve it, and IRS fees and interest may apply. Your return gets a free review before you file it.
Questions
Can I e-file a late return?
Yes. Your 2025 federal return can be filed electronically even after the due date has passed.
Can the IRS remove my penalty?
In some cases the IRS reduces or removes penalties, for example if you had reasonable cause for filing late or if you haven't had penalties in prior years. You ask the IRS for this after you file.
I don't have all my W-2 forms. What do I do?
Ask your employer for a copy. If you can't get one, you can ask the IRS for a wage and income transcript, which shows what your employers reported.
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