Options for Paying Your Taxes

This is archived information that pertains only to the 2002 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.

If you do not pay your taxes when due, you may have to pay a failure-to-pay penalty. To avoid this penalty, the IRS suggests several ways to pay your taxes. You can pay by check, money order or credit card or use the automatic withdrawal method.

Check or Money Order

If you choose to pay by check or money order, make it out to “United States Treasury.” Please show your correct name, address, Social Security number, daytime telephone number and the tax year and form number on the front of your check or money order.

Credit Card

You can charge your taxes on your American Express, MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. To pay by credit card, contact one of the service providers at its telephone number or Web site listed below and follow the instructions. The service providers charge a convenience fee based on the amount you are paying. Do not add the convenience fee to your tax payment.

Official Payments Corporation
Phone 1-800-2PAY-TAX (1-800-272-9829)
Web Site www.officialpayments.com

LINK2GOV Corporation
Phone 1-888-PAY-1040 (1-888-729-1040)
Web Site www.pay1040.com

Automatic Withdrawal

You can file electronically and pay in a single step by authorizing an electronic funds withdrawal from your checking or savings account. This option is available through tax software packages, tax professionals and TeleFile. You will need to have your account number, your financial institution's routing transit number and account type (checking or savings). You can schedule the payment for any future date up to and including the April 15 return due date.

For more information about filing and paying your taxes, refer to Form 1040 or IRS Publication 17, “Your Federal Income Tax.” You may request a copy of the form or publication by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) or download them from the IRS Web site at IRS.gov. You may also call the IRS´s toll-free help line for individual assistance at 1-800-829-1040, available from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekdays and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturdays through April 12 and on Sunday, April 13. All times are local (except in Alaska and Hawaii, which should use Pacific Time).

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