Filing this extension gives you an additional six months (to October 16, 2017) to file your federal income tax return. If you don’t think you’re going to be able to file your federal income tax return by the due date, you can file for and obtain an extension using IRS Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Unlike last year, there’s no extra time for residents of Massachusetts or Maine to file because Patriots’ Day (a holiday in those two states) falls on April 17 - the same day that Emancipation Day is being celebrated. That’s because April 15 falls on a Saturday, and Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington, D.C., is celebrated on Monday, April 17. The filing deadline for most individuals is Tuesday, April 18, 2017. You’ll need these records whether you’re preparing your own return or paying someone else to do your taxes for you.

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to start pulling things together - that includes getting your hands on a copy of last year’s tax return and gathering W-2s, 1099s, and deduction records.

Irs 2016 extension form 4868