Using IRS Direct Pay

IRS Direct Pay is a free & secure service provided by the IRS that allows individuals to pay their taxes online via a direct debit from their bank account. The steps below will walk you through each page involved in making a payment using IRS Direct Pay.

1. Getting Started – Click Here or navigate to irs.gov/payments/direct-pay using your web browser. Once there, click on the blue "Make a Payment" button.
2. Tax Information – Select your reason for payment and the appropriate form from the drop-down boxes. If you aren't sure which to choose, read "What type of payment am I making?" and "What tax form am I paying" in the FAQ section below.
3. Verify Identity – While you may choose to verify your identity using information from any of your last several tax returns, for simplicity, we recommend referring to the copy of your return that was most recently filed. The information you enter on this page must match what is shown on the tax return of the year that you select for verification. Even if the information has changed, for example, if you moved to a new address, you must enter the information as it was shown on that tax return. If you and a spouse filed a joint return, read "Who is the primary taxpayer" in the FAQ section below.
4. Payment Information – We provide the payment amount and due date to you on the filing instructions sheet included with your tax return. We recommend entering your email on this page to receive notifications about your payment.
5. Disclosure Authorization – To make this payment to the IRS, click the blue “I Agree” button.
6. Review & Sign – Carefully read through everything on this screen to confirm that your information has been entered correctly. If something is incorrect, you can correct the information by clicking on “Edit” near the top of the page. If you agree with the information shown, proceed to the Electronic Signature section at the bottom and accept the “Debit Authorization Agreement” and then click “Submit” to make your payment.
7. Confirmation – Print out or download this confirmation for your records and include a copy in the tax documents you provide to Hottel & Willis next year.

Online Payment System FAQ

The terminology used by online tax payment systems varies, and it can be confusing to figure out what you should enter. In this FAQ section, we answer some of the most common questions about online tax payments.

What tax form am I paying?

Online tax payment systems require you to select the form you are paying from a list. Some systems list forms by their names while others list them by their number. For example, an individual paying federal taxes might select “US Individual Income Tax Return”, “Form 1040”, or something similar. To find the name of the form that was filed for you, look at the cover letter included with the copy of your return(s) provided by Hottel & Willis. To find the number of a form, look in the top-left corner of the return’s first page.

What type of payment am I making?

Some online payment systems provide a list of “tax types” or “reasons for payment” to choose from. If you are paying a regular balance due on your return, your choice might be “balance due”, “payment with return”, or something similar. Fortunately, the option for paying estimated taxes tends to be clearly labeled with the word “estimated”.

What taxes do I owe on my return?

For most clients, Hottel & Willis will file both a federal and a state tax return. When you receive a copy, each return will be paired with filing instructions informing you of the balance due, the amount that will be refunded, or that no payment is required. These instructions also include the due date for your payment and a mailing address for sending check payments.

What are estimated taxes, and do I owe them?

Some clients will also receive estimated tax filing instructions. If you do, you must pay estimated taxes for the next year before the normal due date. Your instructions may split the estimate into as many as four payments. These must always be paid separately from the balance due on your return, so if you are paying estimated taxes online make sure to select the estimated tax option on the website.

Who is the primary taxpayer?

If you are married and your return was filed jointly with your spouse, the IRS and state tax agencies will consider one of you to be the primary taxpayer. The primary taxpayer is the one whose name and SSN must be provided when making payments on a joint return. Sometimes both of you will be required to provide your name and SSN, in that case the other person will be identified as the secondary taxpayer, or as the spouse. To find out who the primary taxpayer is, look to see whose name is listed first on the first page of your tax return.