There is a dizzying array of ways to make your tax payments. And I have to say they are not super discoverable, but here is what I have found from cheapest to most expensive:
- directpay.irs.gov. This requires that you valid by knowing some facts from previous returns and then it will let you put your checking account in and the government gets your money. It takes a day or two to settle so plan ahead.
- eftps.gov. I think this is mainly meant for business, it does the same thing, but requires that you first enroll, you then get actual physical paper with your pin, then you can setup your password and tie it to your bank account. It also let’s you schedule payments for quarterlies if you do that. More hassle I think, but you don’t have to have a copy of your tax returns around.
- https://www.irs.gov/uac/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card. Then there are third parties, if your bill isn’t large, you can use a debit card for about $2 a transaction. Or if you are a points lover and your points are worth more than 1.6%, you can use an actual credit card. This is not a bad way to hit things out of the park or at least meet spending requirements. There are lots of providers, but I’ve used Pay1040.com and PayUSAtax.com successfully.
