The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers who have bank accounts that Direct Pay offers a free, secure way to pay federal taxes directly from a checking or savings account.
Direct Pay is available on IRS.gov and allows taxpayers to make one-time payments from their bank account without signing in or paying fees. Taxpayers answer a few basic questions to verify their identity, and no registration is required. For individual payments, Direct Pay uses information from a prior-year tax return selected by the taxpayer. For business payments, Direct Pay verifies the business name and employer identification number (EIN) against IRS records.
“As the IRS continues to support the broader federal effort to modernize payments to and from the government, Direct Pay gives taxpayers a free, secure, and convenient way to pay directly from a bank account,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. “This is part of our ongoing effort to make it easier for taxpayers to interact with the IRS and take care of their tax responsibilities online.”
Taxpayers can use Direct Pay for individual tax payments, including balance due payments, estimated tax payments, amended return payments, extension payments, and other federal income tax payments. If taxpayers are married and file jointly, they must enter information for the spouse whose name is listed first on the tax return when they make their payment. Business taxpayers can use Direct Pay to make balance due payments, federal tax deposits, and other federal tax payments.
With Direct Pay, taxpayers can quickly handle many common payment tasks online and choose the payment date that works best for them. Direct Pay allows taxpayers to:
- Make a same-day payment or schedule a payment up to 365 days in advance.
- Receive a confirmation number and the option for email confirmation.
- Change or cancel a scheduled payment up to two business days before the payment date.
- Pay directly from a U.S. financial institution using bank routing and account numbers.
Direct Pay cannot be used to receive tax refunds by direct deposit. Taxpayers who have never filed a tax return, or who have not filed in more than six years, may need to use another payment option.
Each Direct Pay payment must be less than $10 million. Taxpayers who need to make payment of $10 million or more can use a same-day wire or the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), if they are already enrolled.
To make a payment, taxpayers can visit Direct Pay with bank account and select “Pay individual tax” or “Pay business tax.” Before making a payment, taxpayers must verify their identity by providing individual or business information. For more information about payment types, scheduling, confirmation numbers, and other payment options, visit Direct Pay Help.
A: IRS Direct Pay is a free online service available on IRS.gov that lets taxpayers make secure tax payments directly from a checking or savings account without paying any fees or needing to register/sign in.
A: Both individual and business taxpayers can use Direct Pay:
Individuals: Balance due payments, estimated tax payments, amended return payments, extension payments, and general income tax payments.
Businesses: Balance due payments, federal tax deposits, and general tax payments.
A: No account registration is required. Identity is verified by answering a few basic questions:
Individuals: Enter information from a prior-year tax return (if filing jointly, enter details for the spouse listed first on the return).
Businesses: Enter the official business name and Employer Identification Number (EIN) for verification against IRS records.
A: Yes. You can make same-day payments or schedule a payment up to 365 days in advance. If you need to change or cancel a scheduled payment, you can do so up to two business days before the scheduled payment date.
A: Yes:
Payment Limit: Each payment must be under $10 million (larger payments require a same-day wire transfer or EFTPS).
Eligibility: It cannot be used by taxpayers who have never filed a return or haven’t filed in over six years.
No Refunds: Direct Pay can only be used to pay taxes, not to receive tax refunds via direct deposit.
Suresh holds a Master of Commerce (M.Com) degree and is a dedicated personal finance researcher and writer. Combining his advanced academic background in commerce with deep industry research, he covers complex topics like taxation, banking systems, credit analysis, and personal finance strategies. As the founder of Tax Assistant (taxassistant.org), Suresh is committed to translating complicated financial guidelines and economic data into simple, accurate, and actionable educational resources for everyday readers.
