How to Pay Your Taxes Online

No need to find your checkbook to pay taxes this year. The IRS and U.S. Treasury has begun a transition to electronic payments, as required by Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account.

We’ve outlined the steps below that you’ll need to take to pay your taxes online. Click the links to jump to each section, or keep scrolling.

person paying their taxes online

Making Federal Estimate Payments

Follow these steps if you are making estimate payments in 2026 in advance of filing your 2026 return. Go to irs.gov/payments in your web browser and navigate to the buttons to pay with a bank account or with a debit or credit card.

2026 Quarterly Estimated Tax Due Dates 

  • Payment 1: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 (for income January 1 – March 31, 2026)
  • Payment 2: Monday, June 15, 2026 (for income April 1 – May 31, 2026)
  • Payment 3: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 (for income June 1 – August 31, 2026)
  • Payment 4: Friday, January 15, 2027 (for income September 1 – December 31, 2026) 

Direct Pay with a Bank Account

  1. From the IRS payment home page, click the button to select this option.
  2. Under personal tax payments, click the button to pay individual tax.
    Then, click “make a payment.”
  3. Under Reason for Payment, select Estimated Tax.
  4. Under Apply Payment To, select 1040ES (for 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ).
  5. Under Tax Period for Payment, select 2026.
  6. Click the continue button in the next two screens.
  7. Under Tax Year for Verification, select the most recent year you have filed a return.
    Note that this section is for verifying your identity and is not related to the tax year that you selected to make the payment for in the previous screen. The purpose of this step is to compare the information you enter in the fields to what was previously filed, ensuring you are who you say you are.
  8. Under Filing Status, choose the option that matches the information on the verified tax return you selected above.
    For example, if you are recently divorced, but were married in the year you selected, you should select Married Filing Jointly.
  9. Under first name, put the first name on the verified return of the year you selected. For Married Filing Jointly, this would be the husband’s first name or the Taxpayer name.
  10. Under last name, put the last name of the taxpayer you entered above.
  11. Enter the last name again to confirm.
  12. Enter the social security number of the husband for Married Filing Jointly or taxpayer.
  13. Enter the number again to confirm.
  14. Under Date of Birth, enter the date of birth of the husband for Married Filing Jointly or taxpayer.
  15. Complete the country of residence, street address, city, state and zip code based on the verified tax year that you selected above.
    Areas like apartment or PO Box can be left blank if they do not apply to you.
  16. Click the box next to “I accept the Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act” and click continue.
  17. Under Payment Amount, enter how much you want to pay for the quarter.
  18. Enter the amount again to confirm.
  19. Under Payment Date, enter the date you would like the payment to be withdrawn from your bank account.
    For more information press the little “?” beside the box
  20. Under Routing Number, enter the routing number to your payment bank account. The name of your bank should populate below.
  21. Under Account Number, enter the account number to your payment bank account.
  22. Enter the account number again to confirm.
  23. Under Account Type, select the type of account your chosen payment is.
  24. If you would like to receive confirmation via email, complete the optional steps below. You do not have to complete this section to make your payment
    1. Click the box next to “I would like to receive email confirmation notifications and agree to the Email Terms of Service.”
    1. Enter your email address.
    1. Enter your email address again to confirm.
  25. Click continue.
  26. In the pop-up window titled Disclosure Authorization, select “I Agree”
  27. Review that the information you entered is correct.
  28. Enter your first name, last name and social security number.
  29. Click the box next to “I Accept the Debit Authorization Agreement.”
  30. Click submit.
  31. Print your confirmation if possible. You can also take a screenshot if you are paying on a phone or tablet.

Debit or Credit Card Payment (Fee Associated)

  1. From the IRS payment home page, click the button to select this option.
  2. Select the Pay1040 payment option (left).
    This is the lower fee option for paying with a standard credit card. The directions below apply to the Pay1040 option, but ACI Payments, Inc. has a lower fee for a debit card transaction.
  3. A new window from Pay1040 will open.
  4. Select the Pay Now button on the left.
  5. Ensure that Personal is selected under Tax Category.
  6. Under Tax Form, choose Form 1040 Series, then select Form 1040-ES Estimated Tax.
  7. Under Payment Amount, enter how much you want to pay for the quarter.
  8. In the Primary Social Security Number line, enter the number of the husband for Married Filing Jointly or your number.
  9. Enter the number again to the left to confirm.
  10. In the Spouse’s Social Security Number line, enter the number of the wife for Married Filing Jointly.
  11. Enter the number again to the left to confirm.
  12. Complete the contact information, remembering that the primary taxpayer for Married Filing Jointly is the husband.
  13. Note that you do not have to have an email address to complete the contact information.
  14. Click Next and complete the payment card information.
  15. Submit the card payment.
  16. Print your confirmation if possible. You can also take a screenshot if you are paying on a phone or tablet.

Paying Federal Income Tax Returns

Follow these steps if you are paying in 2026 for last year’s income taxes. Go to irs.gov/payments in your web browser and navigate to the buttons to pay with a bank account or with a debit or credit card.

Direct Pay with a Bank Account

  1. From the IRS payment home page, click the button to select this option.
  2. Under personal tax payments, click the button to pay individual tax.
    Then, click “make a payment.”
  3. Under Reason for Payment, select Balance Due.
  4. Under Apply Payment To, select Income Tax – Form 1040.
  5. Under Tax Period for Payment, select 2025.
  6. Click the continue button in the next two screens.
  7. Under Tax Year for Verification, select the most recent year you have filed a return.
    Note that this section is for verifying your identity and is not related to the tax year that you selected to make the payment for in the previous screen. The purpose of this step is to compare the information you enter in the fields to what was previously filed, ensuring you are who you say you are.
  8. Under Filing Status, choose the option that matches the information on the verified tax return you selected above.
    For example, if you are recently divorced, but were married in the year you selected, you should select Married Filing Jointly.
  9. Under first name, put the first name on the verified return of the year you selected. For Married Filing Jointly, this would be the husband’s first name or the Taxpayer name.
  10. Under last name, put the last name of the taxpayer you entered above.
  11. Enter the last name again to confirm.
  12. Enter the social security number of the husband for Married Filing Jointly or taxpayer.
  13. Enter the number again to confirm.
  14. Under Date of Birth, enter the date of birth of the husband for Married Filing Jointly or taxpayer.
  15. Complete the country of residence, street address, city, state and zip code based on the verified tax year that you selected above.
    Areas like apartment or PO Box can be left blank if they do not apply to you.
  16. Click the box next to “I accept the Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act” and click continue.
  17. Under Payment Amount, enter how much you want to pay, which should be the amount owed on your return from MBJ Accounting, unless you have arranged for a payment plan.
  18. Enter the amount again to confirm.
  19. Under Payment Date, enter the date you would like the payment to be withdrawn from your bank account.
    For more information press the little “?” beside the box
  20. Under Routing Number, enter the routing number to your payment bank account. The name of your bank should populate below.
  21. Under Account Number, enter the account number to your payment bank account.
  22. Enter the account number again to confirm.
  23. Under Account Type, select the type of account your chosen payment is.
  24. If you would like to receive confirmation via email, complete the optional steps below. You do not have to complete this section to make your payment
    • Click the box next to “I would like to receive email confirmation notifications and agree to the Email Terms of Service.”
    • Enter your email address.
    • Enter your email address again to confirm.
  25. Click continue.
  26. In the pop-up window titled Disclosure Authorization, select “I Agree”
  27. Review that the information you entered is correct.
  28. Enter your first name, last name and social security number.
  29. Click the box next to “I Accept the Debit Authorization Agreement.”
  30. Click submit.
  31. Print your confirmation if possible. You can also take a screenshot if you are paying on a phone or tablet.

Debit or Credit Card Payment (Fee Associated)

  1. From the IRS payment home page, click the button to select this option.
  2. Select the Pay1040 payment option (left).
    This is the lower fee option for paying with a standard credit card. The directions below apply to the Pay1040 option, but ACI Payments, Inc. has a lower fee for a debit card transaction.
  3. A new window from Pay1040 will open.
  4. Select the Pay Now button on the left.
  5. Ensure that Personal is selected under Tax Category.
  6. Under Tax Form, choose Form 1040 Series, then select Current Tax Return Year – 2025.
  7. Under Payment Amount, enter how much you want to pay, which should be the amount owed on your return from MBJ Accounting, unless you have arranged for a payment plan.
  8. In the Primary Social Security Number line, enter the number of the husband for Married Filing Jointly or your number.
  9. Enter the number again to the left to confirm.
  10. In the Spouse’s Social Security Number line, enter the number of the wife for Married Filing Jointly.
  11. Enter the number again to the left to confirm.
  12. Complete the contact information, remembering that the primary taxpayer for Married Filing Jointly is the husband.
  13. Note that you do not have to have an email address to complete the contact information.
  14. Click Next and complete the payment card information.
  15. Submit the card payment.
  16. Print your confirmation if possible. You can also take a screenshot if you are paying on a phone or tablet.

Making Indiana State Estimate Payments

Follow these steps if you are paying in 2026 in advance of filing your 2026 return. Go to intime.dor.in.gov in your web browser and navigate to the buttons to pay with a bank account or with a debit or credit card.

Note: You must have an email address to pay Indiana State taxes online.

 2026 Quarterly Estimated Tax Due Dates

  • Payment 1: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 (for income January 1 – March 31, 2026)
  • Payment 2: Monday, June 15, 2026 (for income April 1 – May 31, 2026)
  • Payment 3: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 (for income June 1 – August 31, 2026)
  • Payment 4: Friday, January 15, 2027 (for income September 1 – December 31, 2026)

Direct Pay with a Bank Account

  1. Go to intime.dor.in.gov and locate the middle box on your screen.
  2. Select Make a Payment in the Payments box.
  3. Locate the Non-bill Payments box.
  4. Select Bank Payment to pay with a bank account without fees.
  5. Indicate that you are making an individual payment and click next.
  6. Under identification type, choose social security number.
  7. Enter the social security number for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  8. Enter the number again to confirm.
  9. Under first name, put the first name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  10. Under last name, put the last name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  11. Complete the phone information and click next.
  12. Complete the address information and then click the blue link to verify the address. Once the address has been verified, select next.
  13. Select Estimated Payment.
  14. Select the end date for the quarter you are paying.
    • Payment 1: March 31, 2026
    • Payment 2: May 31, 2026
    • Payment 3: August 31, 2026
    • Payment 4: December 31, 2026
  15. Select your County of Residence from the drop-down menu.
  16. Under Amount, enter how much you want to pay for the quarter.
  17. Enter your email address and click next.
  18. Confirm that the amount is what you want to pay.
  19. Under Routing Number, enter the routing number to your payment bank account. The name of your bank should populate below.
  20. Under Account Number, enter the account number to your payment bank account.
  21. Enter the account number again to confirm.
  22. Under Account Type, select the type of account your chosen payment bank account is.
  23. Click next and confirm submission.
  24. Print your confirmation if possible. You can also take a screenshot if you are paying on a phone or tablet. You will also receive an email confirmation.

Debit or Credit Card Payment (Fee Associated)

  1. Go to intime.dor.in.gov and locate the middle box on your screen.
  2. Select Make a Payment in the Payments box.
  3. Locate the Non-bill Payments box.
  4. Select Credit Card to pay with a credit or debit card. You will pay a transaction fee.
  5. Indicate that you are making an individual payment and click next.
  6. Under identification type, choose social security number.
  7. Enter the social security number for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  8. Enter the number again to confirm.
  9. Under first name, put the first name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  10. Under last name, put the last name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  11. Complete the phone information and click next.
  12. Complete the address information and then click the blue link to verify the address. Once the address has been verified, select next.
  13. Select Estimated Payment.
  14. Select the end date for the quarter you are paying.
    • Payment 1: March 31, 2026
    • Payment 2: May 31, 2026
    • Payment 3: August 31, 2026
    • Payment 4: December 31, 2026
  15. Select your County of Residence from the drop down menu.
  16. Under Amount, enter how much you want to pay for the quarter.
  17. Enter your email address and click next.
  18. Click next again once you have reviewed the fee structure.
  19. Confirm that the amount is what you want to pay and click Pay.
  20. You will be redirected to a third-party payment processor to complete your card payment.

Paying Indiana State Income Tax Returns

Follow these steps if you are paying in 2026 for last year’s state income taxes. Go to intime.dor.in.gov in your web browser and navigate to the buttons to pay with a bank account or with a debit or credit card.

Note: You must have an email address to pay Indiana State taxes online.

Direct Pay with a Bank Account

  1. Go to intime.dor.in.gov and locate the middle box on your screen.
  2. Select Make a Payment in the Payments box.
  3. Locate the Non-bill Payments box.
  4. Select Bank Payment to pay with a bank account without fees.
  5. Indicate that you are making an individual payment and click next.
  6. Under identification type, choose social security number.
  7. Enter the social security number for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  8. Enter the number again to confirm.
  9. Under first name, put the first name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  10. Under last name, put the last name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  11. Complete the phone information and click next.
  12. Complete the address information and then click the blue link to verify the address. Once the address has been verified, select next.
  13. Select Return Payment and it will autofill the date of December 31, 2025.
  14. Under Amount, enter how much you want to pay, which should be the amount owed on your return from MBJ Accounting, unless you have arranged for a payment plan.
  15. Enter your email address and click next.
  16. Confirm that the amount is what you want to pay.
  17. Under Routing Number, enter the routing number to your payment bank account. The name of your bank should populate below.
  18. Under Account Number, enter the account number to your payment bank account.
  19. Enter the account number again to confirm.
  20. Under Account Type, select the type of account your chosen payment bank account is.
  21. Click next and confirm submission.
  22. Print your confirmation if possible. You can also take a screenshot if you are paying on a phone or tablet. You will also receive an email confirmation.

Debit or Credit Card Payment (Fee Associated)

  1. Go to intime.dor.in.gov and locate the middle box on your screen.
  2. Select Make a Payment in the Payments box.
  3. Locate the Non-bill Payments box.
  4. Select Credit Card to pay with a credit or debit card. You will pay a transaction fee.
  5. Indicate that you are making an individual payment and click next.
  6. Under identification type, choose social security number.
  7. Enter the social security number for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  8. Enter the number again to confirm.
  9. Under first name, put the first name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  10. Under last name, put the last name for the primary taxpayer, which is the husband for Married Filing Jointly.
  11. Complete the phone information and click next.
  12. Complete the address information and then click the blue link to verify the address. Once the address has been verified, select next.
  13. Select Return Payment and it will autofill the date of December 31, 2025.
  14. Under Amount, enter how much you want to pay, which should be the amount owed on your return from MBJ Accounting, unless you have arranged for a payment plan.
  15. Enter your email address and click next.
  16. Click next again once you have reviewed the fee structure.
  17. Confirm that the amount is what you want to pay and click Pay.
  18. You will be redirected to a third-party payment processor to complete your card payment.

Notes about State of Illinois Payments

  1. To make estimate payments or pay income tax returns for the State of Illinois, go to mytax.illinois.gov.
  2. Select the Make an Individual Income Tax Payment button in the Individuals box, which is the first box on the left of the screen.
  3. Use the social security number that has been previously used to file a return and use the link to look up your IL-PIN if needed.
  4. Follow the steps to complete your estimate payment or income tax return.

Internal Revenue Service Shifts to Digital Refunds and Payments

No need to find your checkbook to pay taxes this year. The IRS and U.S. Treasury has begun a transition to electronic payments, as required by Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account. This change represents a major step in a broader federal initiative to transition all eligible payments to secure electronic delivery.

How Taxpayers Can Prepare for Electronic Refunds

  • Provide accurate banking information (routing and account number) when filing your return.
  • Open a free or low-cost bank or credit union account if you do not already have one. Resources and account options can be found at FDIC.gov/GetBanked and MyCreditUnion.gov.
  • Use certain mobile apps or prepaid debit cards that provide routing and account numbers. Taxpayers should verify the correct numbers with their financial institution or app provider.

For more information on refund options and timelines, visit irs.gov/refunds.

How to Prepare for Electronic Payments

Taxpayers can begin adopting electronic payment methods now by using:

  • IRS Direct Pay: Pay directly from your bank account with no fees.
  • Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS): For individuals, businesses, and payroll providers.
  • IRS2Go app: Make secure mobile payments.
  • Debit or credit card options, or supported digital wallets.

To avoid payment-related delays, taxpayers are encouraged to keep their contact information, account details and communication preferences up to date.

When to File a Tax Extension

Did tax season sneak up on you?  Were you delayed in receiving documents through the mail?  We can relate.  The pages on the calendar seem to turn faster and faster.

The deadline for filing federal income taxes is Monday, April 18, 2022.  However, if you’re still gathering your documentation, you may need to file an extension using IRS Form 4868.  This gives you six additional months – until Monday, October 17, 2022 – to file your tax return.

Seem too good to be true?  It might be.  Here is important information to understand when considering filing an extension.

An extension doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay until October.  Form 4868 gives you the opportunity to extend your filing deadline – but not your payment.  An approximated tax payment will need paid when you file your extension on or before Monday, April 18.  Previous returns and W-2 withholdings can be used to determine the approximated payment.

Anything you owe that hasn’t been paid by the deadline can be subject to interest and a late-payment penalty fee, even if you’ve filed an extension.

You can still save money by filing an extension.  Requesting an extension on or before April 18 will help you avoid a late-filing penalty fee.

While filing an extension is a great way to buy yourself some time, it is important to complete your final return by the October deadline.  The failure-to-file penalty is usually 5 percent of the tax you owe for each month your return is late, up to 25 percent.

What if my amount owed is greater than I expected?  Should I file an extension?  Remember that filing an extension only gives you more time to prepare your return – not make your payments.  If you’re not able to pay your full tax amount by April 18, the Internal Revenue Service has options.  Learn more about payment plans here.

We’re here to help you file an extension and approximate your extension payment.  Contact us to learn more.