Why do I have to mail a check to pay for my taxes owed to CA with an extension?

Rowen
Rowen Member Posts: 9 Newcomer

I'm filing an extension, and I'd like to pay the estimated amount owed for both federal and state (CA). FreeTaxUSA says I can pay for federal through a bank transfer, but it says I need to mail a check for state. Why is that? Is it because I'm filing an extension? If I filed the taxes without an extension, would I be able to pay both the federal and state by bank transfer? Mailing a check is more of a hassle.

I'm trying to pay through the FTB site to avoid mailing a check. I hope they'll let me pay the estimated amount owed through bank transfer. I see that we don't need to file an extension on the FTB site, and they'll automatically grant a 6-month extension, but we still need to pay on time, or we'll get penalties. Is that correct?

Answers

  • MatthewD
    MatthewD FreeTaxUSA Team Posts: 249

    Hello,

    When you file a state extension, most states do not have an online portal for filing an extension payment, so you need to pay with a voucher and mail in a payment.

    Even though the state grants an automatic extension you must make an extension payment to avoid the late payment penalties.