Making a Payment to the IRS

In the following step you will find out how to make an online payment to the IRS.

Step 1: Go to the IRS website at IRS.gov and select “Make a Payment”

Main page of the IRS website

Step 2: Select the appropriate button for your preferred payment method of “Direct Pay with bank account” or “Pay by card or digital wallet”. For this explanation we will continue with the “Direct Pay with bank account”.

Step 2 select your preferred payment method

Step 3: Click on the ‘Pay Individual Tax’ link

Step 3 select either personal tax or business tax

Step 4: Select the blue button on the words “Make a payment”

Step 4 Make a payment

Step 5: If making the payment is being made for a tax bill for the current year:

“Reason for Payment” is set for “Balance Due”.

“Apply Payment to”  select  “Income Tax – Form 1040”

“Tax Period for Payment” select the year you are making the payment for e.g. “2024”

Step 5 input the information for your situation

Step 6: Confirm that the information that was inputted is correct.

Confirm your inputted information

Step 7: Input the following information from your most recent 1040 tax return to help ensure that the payment is credited to the correct taxpayer account.

Use the information from your 1040 tax return

Use the information from your 1040

Step 8: Input your bank account information to have the payment drafted from. Select the date that you would like the payment to be taken on. It’s best to avoid scheduling your payment for a weekend or Fridays, to reduce the risk of processing delays.

If you wait to pay your tax bill until April 15^th there is the chance that the payment does not process until the next day and you could receive a late payment fee. 

Input your payment method information and date you want the payment taken

Step 9: Type out your First and Last Name and Social Security Number to act as your electronic signature.

Input first name, last name, and social

Step 10: Press submit and wait until the payment processes. Be sure to make note of the confirmation number as this can be used to track down any payments that could get misplaced by the IRS.