J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2013: For Preparing Your 2012 Tax Return

46.5 Paying Taxes Due

If you owe tax on a return that you are mailing to the IRS, you may pay by check, money order, credit card, or debit card. Payments can also be made by direct debit from your account, either by phone or online using the IRS’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).

If paying by check or money order, make it payable to the “United States Treasury.” Write your Social Security number on the check or money order. The IRS encourages you to send Form 1040-V along with your payment, but the form is not required.

A credit card or debit card payment can be made by phone or over the Internet with a service provider that handles the transaction for the IRS. The service provider will impose a fee based on the amount you are paying. Go to www.irs.gov/e-pay.

IRS online or phone option for making payments.

The IRS’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) accepts online tax payments from individual as well as business taxpayers. You may use EFTPS to pay the balance due on your individual tax return or to pay estimated tax installments.

Payments are made by direct debit from an account that you designate when you enroll with EFTPS. Individual tax payments may be scheduled up to 365 days in advance and business taxes up to 120 days in advance. You can enroll online at www.eftps.gov.

Payments via EFTPS can also be made by phone after you enroll with EFTPS and set up a direct debit arrangement. Call 1-800-555-4477 for enrollment information.

Payments by electronic ...