Tax Payments
At Hottel & Willis, we know that paying your taxes online can be a confusing process. To make this easier for our clients, we have put together some helpful information. Below are the links as well as some frequently asked questions.
Federal Tax Payments - IRS Direct Pay
The IRS Direct Pay service also allows you to pay federal taxes via a direct debit from your bank account. This service is free and secure and can be used to pay any individual income taxes owed to the IRS. To access the site, simply click "IRS Website" below. For a detailed walkthrough, click "More Details" below.
Virginia Tax Payments
Clients of Hottel & Willis will receive filing instructions with copies of their Virginia income tax returns. These instructions include a balance due line, telling you how much tax is owed to Virginia. Some clients will also receive filing instructions for estimated Virginia income taxes, which may split the estimate into as many as four payments.
To make these payments electronically, go to tax.virginia.gov/individual-income-tax-payment-options. Click one of the three headings (Balance Due on Return, Extension Payment, or Estimated Tax) to display links to payment methods. We recommend choosing the eForms method to avoid setting up an account.
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.