Today is the deadline to file taxes with the IRS in the US: What you need to know

(CNN) — This Monday, April 15, is US Tax Day for most Americans, and there are still many people rushing to file their 2023 income tax returns until the clock strikes midnight.

“With the April deadline approaching, we are seeing an avalanche of tax returns arriving over the last few hours. We have already received more than 100 million [de devoluciones] and tens of millions more are coming forward in recent days,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told reporters on Friday, April 12.

So if you file at the last minute, you’re in good company, and even more so if you’re expecting a refund. Werfel noted that the agency has already paid out more than $200 billion in refunds as of early April. Overall, two out of three taxpayers are owed money back, he said.

Below are some last-minute notes and tips to help you in your immediate quest to file your federal return or get an extension of time to file without incurring financial penalties. (Check your state’s tax revenue department site to see what you should keep in mind when doing the same with your state return.)

Today may not be your tax filing deadline: Yes, April 15 is the big kahuna of tax filing deadlines for most people. But millions of Americans do not have to apply today because they have been granted automatic extensions if, for example, they live or do business in a federally declared disaster area or were affected by the Hamas attack on Israel on the 7th. October. Or if they live in Massachusetts and Maine, which celebrate Patriots Day on April 15, or in Washington, DC, which marks Emancipation Day on April 16. Americans living abroad automatically get two extra months to apply, until June 15. However, they must pay what they still owe the IRS for the 2023 tax year by April 15. Members of the U.S. military stationed overseas also get that two-month extension, plus they may qualify for other extensions, including pay extensions, if they are in a combat zone.

Request an automatic extension: Can’t get ready in time to file your 1040 form before 11:59 pm tonight? Then request an automatic six-month extension by filling out this form, which will push the filing deadline back to Oct. 15, 2024. Werfel estimates that 19 million last-minute filers will do so.

Without that extension, if you simply file your return late and still owe the IRS money, you’ll be assessed a non-filing penalty plus interest on your outstanding balance.

Pay what you owe today, or at least part of it: Even if they get an extension to file, most people must pay what they still owe to the IRS for the 2023 tax year by April 15.

So do your best to estimate what that amount will be and submit your payment, or at least a partial payment, tonight. Making a payment will help you avoid or limit the non-payment penalty and interest you will be charged on the balance owed. (Here are some tips on how to figure out what you still owe if you haven’t filed a full return yet.)

If that balance seems unmanageable, there are options to work out a payment plan with the IRS to reduce your penalties and interest, which can otherwise add up quickly.

Double check your work: To avoid delays in processing your return (or refund) and to avoid headache-causing interactions with the IRS after you file, make sure you have a good understanding of the basics.

Also be sure to answer the digital asset question on the first page of your 1040 and file the correct forms needed if you, in fact, had taxable transactions with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

For example, check that the following are correct: the spelling of your name, your address, your filing status, your Social Security number, and your bank account number if requesting direct deposit for a refund. Also check your calculations. Do all of this even if you rely on a tax program or tax professional to prepare your return.

(Here are other last-minute tips and resources you can use from the IRS if you need help, have questions, or want to file for free.)

Montiroea refund or return: If you are among the majority of tax filers who are due a refund and have not yet received it, you can track your status using the IRS online tool Where is my Refund?

The average refund at the beginning of April was $3,011, up $123 from a year ago. The turnaround time for the IRS to send them can be quick.

“The IRS has done a great job getting refunds out quickly this year… In many cases, people have received refunds in just over a week. That’s important because for many people, these are the biggest checks they see all year,” Werfel said.