Finance
US Tax Deadlines 2026 — Filing, Extensions, Estimated Payments
Tax Day 2026 is Wednesday, April 15. Most other federal tax deadlines key off that date or fall on quarterly intervals.
Key 2026 federal tax deadlines
| Deadline | Date | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Q4 2025 estimated taxes | Jan 15, 2026 | Self-employed, freelancers, gig workers |
| W-2 / 1099 deadlines to recipients | Jan 31, 2026 | Employers, payers |
| Partnership / S-corp returns (Form 1065, 1120-S) | Mar 16, 2026 | Pass-through entities |
| Tax Day — individual returns (Form 1040) | Apr 15, 2026 | Most US taxpayers |
| Q1 2026 estimated taxes | Apr 15, 2026 | Self-employed |
| C-corp returns (Form 1120) | Apr 15, 2026 | C corporations |
| FBAR (foreign accounts) | Apr 15, 2026 (auto-extended to Oct 15) | US taxpayers with foreign accounts > $10k |
| Q2 2026 estimated taxes | Jun 16, 2026 (Jun 15 falls Sunday) | Self-employed |
| Q3 2026 estimated taxes | Sep 15, 2026 | Self-employed |
| Extended individual returns | Oct 15, 2026 | Taxpayers who filed Form 4868 |
| Q4 2026 estimated taxes | Jan 15, 2027 | Self-employed |
Filing an extension
Form 4868 grants an automatic 6-month extension to October 15. This extends the filing deadline only — not the payment deadline. You still owe by April 15; the extension just prevents late-filing penalties.
State deadlines
Most state income-tax deadlines mirror the federal April 15 date. Notable exceptions: Hawaii (April 20), Iowa (April 30), Virginia (May 1), Louisiana (May 15). Check your state's department of revenue for specifics.
What if the deadline falls on a weekend?
The IRS automatically extends deadlines to the next business day when they fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday. For 2026, this affects Q2 estimated taxes (June 15 is a Sunday → moves to June 16).