Form 7004 Instructions

What is IRS Form 7004?

Who can file Form 7004?

Most businesses that want extra time to file their business income tax return can file Form 7004. Below business types can use Form 7004 extension to file business income tax:

• C-corporations (Form 1120)
• S-corporations (Form 1120S)
• Partnerships (Form 1065)
• Multiple-member LLCs as corporation and partnership
• Trust, Estates and Others (Form 1041)

When is the Form 7004 due date?

For the 2024 tax year, the deadline for filing Form 7004 is March 17, 2025.

Businesses that want an extension can file Form 7004 on or before the due date for the actual return to be filed.

For corporations, the due date to file income tax returns is the 15th day of the third month after the tax year-end. If a corporation follows the regular calendar year, i.e., January to December, the deadline to file the income tax return is March 15. However, if the due date falls on weekends or federal holidays, then the filing deadline will be the next business day.

Form 7004 penalty

If you miss filing your business income tax and paying the tax due within the deadline, you will incur penalties from the IRS. Below are the penalty rates for Form 7004:

Form 7004 Instructions - How to fill out?

Follow the instructions below to fill out Form 7004.

Part I: Identification

Specific Instructions

Name: Enter the filer’s name. The name entered here should match the name on the IRS database.

EIN: Enter the 9-digit employer identification number.

Address: : Enter the business address. If the business address is outside the United States, enter the address along with the country name

Part I: Automatic Extension for Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Return

Line 1: Enter the form code based on the type of return for which you are requesting an extension.

Part II: All Filers Must Complete This Part

Line 2: Check this box if your organization is a foreign corporation and does not have an office location or address in the United States.

Line 3: Check this box if your organization is a corporation and is the common parent of a group that intends to file a consolidated return.

After checking the box, add the list of consolidated group members’ information, such as name, EIN, and address.

Line 4: Check this box if your organization comes under Regulations section 1.6081-5. Businesses under Regulations section 1.6081-5 get an automatic extension to file income tax returns.

If filed, these businesses will get an additional extension of time to file the tax return, and they are required to pay the tax dues by 6th month following the tax year-end.

Line 5a: Select your tax year. If you follow a different tax year from the regular calendar year, enter the same.

Line 5b: Check the reason for the short tax year.

Line 6: Enter the total tax amount for the tax year, which includes any nonrefundable credits.

Line 7: Enter the payments made in the tax year, which include refundable credits.

Line 8: Subtract line 7 from line 6 and enter the balance due amount.

How to file Form 7004?

Form 7004 can be filed with the IRS either electronically or by paper filing.

Electronic filing or E-filing

By e-filing Form 7004, you get a lot of benefits, such as quick filing time and instant return status. To e-file Form 7004, you will need to first choose an e-file service provider.

TaxZerone supports the e-filing of Form 7004, and it is also an IRS-authorized e-file service provider. You can simply enter the required information, calculate the balance due, and transmit the return to the IRS.

Paper filing

You can also file Form 7004 with the IRS by manually filling out the form and sending it by postal email. If you are paper filing extension forms, make sure you are sending your returns earlier before the deadline, as it may take some time for the return to reach the IRS.

Although there are two filing options available for businesses to file extension, the IRS recommends the e-filing of Form 7004 as it is simple, easy, and takes less time and cost compared to paper filing.

Where to send Form 7004 - Mailing address

After filling out Form 7004, you are required to manually send the return to the IRS by postal mail. The address to which you need to send the returns will vary based on your location.

Check out the mailing address for Form 7004 based on the business location.

How to e-file Form 7004 online?

Filing Form 7004 online can be completed in 3 simple steps. Before starting to e-file, keep the information below ready.

Information required to file Form 7004 electronically

• Filer information such as name, EIN, and address
• List of consolidated group members, if your organization is a corporation and is the common parent of a group that intends to file a consolidated return
• Tax years
• Tentative total tax
• Total payments and credits

When you have all the information, you can then follow the steps below to e-file Form 7004 using TaxZerone.

Step 1: Select the tax year and enter the required information listed above.

Step 2: Calculate the balance due by providing tentative total tax and total payments and credits.

Step 3: Transmit the return to the IRS.

How to pay the balance due while filing Form 7004 online?

While completing step 2, if you have a balance due, you can choose to pay the due amount using the electronic funds withdrawal (EFW) option. You will need to provide your bank account information, such as account number, account type, and routing number.

Once the IRS processes your return, your balance due will be automatically debited from your account. Make sure to maintain a sufficient balance in your account.