E-file federal and state extensions of time to file

ONESOURCE Trust Tax lets you e-file federal extensions for accounts (including 5x5 accounts) filing:
  • Federal Form 1041
  • Federal Form 5227
  • Federal Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T and/or Form 4720
Form 7004 is used to request an extension for Form 1041. Form 8868 is used to request an extension for Form 5227, Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T and/or Form 4720.
Any federal tax due is electronically remitted using EFTPS. Before a federal extension payment can be remitted electronically for an account, the account must be enrolled in EFTPS and the federal balance due payment option must be set to
Only when e-filed
or
When e-filed or filed on paper
. See 
Set the federal balance due payment option
 for details.
State extensions are e-filed with the state taxing authority using the IRS' Modernized E-File (MeF) system (the IRS forwards the state extensions to the state taxing authority). Settlement information is included in the extension filing data when the state balance due payment option is set to the Pay with e-file method, or the state requires e-payment when state extensions are E-Filed. When a state requires e-payment, the settlement information is included in the extension filing data regardless of how the state balance due payment option is set.
note
The Pay with e-file method - not the Bulk payment method - is used to remit state extension payments for Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Refer to the table in the
E-file and balance due payments summary by jurisdiction
for a list of states that allow e-filing of extensions.
The state extension payment is considered accepted if the extension is accepted, and the payment is considered rejected if the extension is rejected. Rejected extensions that can be corrected and reprocessed can be resubmitted for e-filing. Amounts associated with extension payments must be transferred in your organization's account by the due date of the extension.

About processing extensions for accounts requiring dual return processing

Accounts requiring dual return processing (Section 4947(a)(1) trusts that require both 1041 and 990 return reporting) can be processed, tracked, and e-filed separately. For these accounts, the dual return processing flag must be set before processing. See the Processing 990 Return Types guide if you need to set the dual return processing flag.
To process extensions for accounts that require dual return processing, you will need to submit 2 separate processing requests: one to process the extension for Form 1041 and one to process the extension for the 990 return type. For these accounts, if you submit your processing request from the account binder, you can select
Switch to 1041
or
Switch to 990
from the
Account Action
dropdown list to switch between the return types and process each return accordingly. Extension returns can also be filed for both returns for accounts that process both 1041 and 5227 returns.
Electronic Filing registers associated with federal e-filing and EFTPS payments may show multiple records for accounts requiring dual return processing. If the entity type is included as a register column, the current entity type setting (not necessarily the entity type associated with the record) displays for these accounts.

Process extensions

To process extensions:
  1. For each account you want to process an extension for, review the federal and/or state balance due payment option to ensure it is set to how you want to remit any payment that may be due. See 
    Set the federal and state balance due payment options
     for details. The Pay with e-file method - not the Bulk payment method - is used to remit state extension payments for Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania.
  2. For state extensions, review the settlement date in the
    Settlement date for state balance due payments (Does not apply to MI and RI before 2023, or MO for all years) [Date entered must have a four character year, i.e., MM-DD-YYYY]
    Electronic Filing option. The settlement date should be a current year date that doesn’t fall on a weekend or legal holiday. See 
    Set PAN level options for federal and state e-file and balance due payments
     for details.
  3. For extensions for Form 4720, ensure the
    Print the 4720
    checkbox is marked in the
    General Information/Schedule B Overrides
    collapsible section on the Form 4720 page.
  4. Complete one of the following to access the Process page or pop-up window:
    • Run a register that includes the accounts you want to process then select the accounts to process. To select one or more accounts, select the checkbox in the 2nd column on the left. Don’t select any checkboxes if you want to process all the accounts in the register. Select the
      Process
      subtopic.
    • Open the account binder for the account you want to process. Select
      Process
      from the account
      Action
      dropdown list.
  5. Select
    Tax Return Extension
    from the
    Request
    dropdown list.
  6. Select
    Federal and state
    ,
    Federal Only
    ,
    State Only
    or
    5227
    from the
    Document Option
    dropdown list.
  7. Select
    Process
    .
After processing completes, you can review the extension print file for each account from the account binder. For state extensions, you can review the electronic filing status using the
State returns qualified for Electronic Filing
register.
To review an extension print file for an account:
  1. From the account binder, select the
    Documents
    main topic.
  2. Select Expand
    for the tax year that contains the extension print file you want to view, then select Expand for the
    Document: Extension
    category.
    There are 2 extension print files for accounts that require dual return processing: one for the 1041 return and one for the 990 return. In the
    Document Option
    column,
    1st ext-Federal and state
    indicates an extension Form 1041, and
    990 ext
    indicates an extension for the 990 return type.
  3. Select the document link in the
    Recipient
    column. The extension print file displays in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If the File Download screen displays, select
    Open
    to open the tax return print file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  4. For an extension that will be E-Filed, review the Electronic Filing Diagnostics and Electronic Filing XML Validation Errors sections of the Diagnostic Report. If a reject is listed, use the data identified in the diagnostic to make the correction then reprocess the extension. Before an extension can be e-filed, all electronic filing rejects must be corrected. If an electronic filing reject can't be corrected, the extension must be paper-filed.
  5. Select
    Close
    when you finish your review.

Submit an extension e-file request

You can start the extension e-file submission process from a register, such as the
Extension returns qualified and enrolled in EFTPS
base register, or an account binder. You can't free an extension e-file request after it is submitted.
Submit a federal extension e-file request
To submit a federal extension e-file request:
  1. Access the File Electronically page. From a register, select the accounts you want to file an extension for then select the
    File Electronically
    subtopic. From the account binder, select the
    Account
    main topic then the
    File Electronically
    subtopic.
  2. Select
    Tax Return Extension
    from the
    Request
    dropdown list.
  3. Mark the
    Federal
    check .
  4. Mark the
    Return Type
    checkbox. You can select
    1041
    ,
    990
    or
    5227
    . Selecting a return type checkbox makes the other return type checkboxes not available for selection.
  5. If you selected the
    990
    checkbox, select the form checkboxes for which you want to submit Form 8868 for e-filing. You can select as many checkboxes as is necessary. The available checkboxes are in the
    990 Extension Type
    grid and include:
    • 990/990EZ/990PF
      : Submits Form 8868 for Forms 990, 990-EZ, and 990-PF.
    • 990T
      : Submits Form 8868 for Form 990-T.
    • 4720
      : Submits Form 8868 for Form 4720.
  6. Select
    Process
    .
  7. Select
    OK
    when a message asking whether you want to submit the accounts for electronic filing displays.
  8. Select
    OK
    when a message stating that the information was sent for validation and submission displays.
The extension e-filing data is reviewed for errors that would prevent Form 7004 or 8868 from being e-filed, and the Request Status and History page displays so you can review any validation errors. On the Request and Status History page:
  • The
    Current Requests
    collapsible section lists the batch until the request completes.
  • The
    Request History
    collapsible section lists the batch after the request completes. The number of accounts that have errors are listed in the
    #Errors
    column. If the number in the
    # Errors
    column is not 0, use the
    Request Errors
    collapsible section to determine the error.
The
Returns waiting for IRS acknowledgment
register lists the accounts with extension e-filing data that were transmitted to the IRS and are waiting for acknowledgment from the IRS. Accounts are included in this register until ONESOURCE Trust Tax receives and processes the Acknowledgment file from the IRS.
After the Acknowledgment file is processed by ONESOURCE Trust Tax, the e-file status for each extension transmitted to the IRS is updated to show if the extension was accepted or rejected. The accounts are moved to the
Tax Return Extension accepted by IRS
or
Extensions rejected by IRS
register.
Submit a state extension e-file request
To submit a state extension e-file request:
  1. Access the File Electronically page. From a register, select the accounts you want to e-file an extension for then select the
    File Electronically
    subtopic. From the account binder, select
    Account
    then
    File Electronically
    .
  2. Select
    Tax Return Extension
    from the
    Request
    dropdown list.
  3. Select the
    1041
    or
    5227
    return type checkbox. Selecting a return type checkbox makes the other return type checkbox not available for selection.
  4. Mark the
    Request Option
    checkboxes that correspond to the jurisdictions you want to include in the e-file request. You can mark the
    Federal
    ,
    Situs State
    and
    Non-Situs State
    checkboxes individually or in any combination.
    For a state 5227 extension e-file request, selecting the
    Situs State
    checkbox will complete the request only if the situs state is New Jersey.
  5. If you marked the
    Non-Situs State
    checkbox, select the states you want to include in the extension e-file request from the
    Non Situs States
    grid. You can right-click within the grid to select all of the available states, or you can individually mark the checkbox for each state.
    For a non-situs state 5227 extension e-file request, you can select the checkboxes for any states, but only a New Jersey or Pennsylvania selection will complete the request.
  6. Select
    Process
    .
  7. Select
    OK
    when a message asking whether you want to submit the accounts for electronic filing displays.
  8. Select
    OK
    when a message stating that the information was sent for validation and submission displays.
State extensions are e-filed with the state taxing authority using the IRS' Modernized e-File (MeF) system (the IRS forwards the state extensions to the state taxing authority). You can use the
State extensions accepted
or
State Extensions Rejected for Electronic Filing
register (or other Electronic Filing registers) to review the electronic filing status.
Settlement information is included in the extension filing data when the state balance due payment option is set to the Pay with e-file method or the state requires e-payment when state extensions are e-filed. When a state requires e-payment, the settlement information is included in the extension filing data regardless of how the state balance due payment option is set.
The state extension payment is considered accepted if the extension is accepted, and the payment is considered rejected if the extension is rejected. Rejected extensions that can be corrected and reprocessed can be resubmitted for e-filing. Amounts associated with state extension payments must be transferred in your organization's account by the due date of the extension. Use the
Tax Due
column in the following registers to review the amounts associated with state extension payments:
  • State Extension Returns Qualified for Electronic Filing
  • State Extensions Rejected for Electronic Filing
  • State extensions accepted

Remit a federal extension payment electronically

Federal extension payments are transmitted to the Treasury Financial Agent (TFA) using ONESOURCE Trust Tax. Any 1041 and/or 990 extension that is processed and set to pay via EFTPS is included in the payment file. This includes extension payments for accounts requiring dual return processing. A federal extension payment request can't be canceled after it is filed.
To remit a federal extension payment electronically:
  1. Prepare the extension payment. To prepare the extension payment:
    1. Select
      HOME
      ,
      Admin
      then
      Extension Payments
      .
    2. Enter the settlement date in the
      Settlement Date
      field. Use the format MM/DD/YYYY (where MM is the month, DD is the day and YYYY is the year).
    3. Select Run in the
      Prepare
      column for the
      Federal EFTPS (1041 and 990)
      filing.
    4. Select the
      Request and Status History
      subtopic to track the prepared request using the grids on the Request Status and History page.
      After the prepared request completes, the Extension Payments page displays
      Complete
      in the
      Preparing Status
      column. The File icon displays in the
      File
      column for the extension payment file you prepared.
  2. File the extension payment request. To file the extension payment:
    1. Select
      HOME
      ,
      Admin
      then
      Extension Payments
      .
    2. Under the
      Prepare and File Extension Payments
      collapsible section, select File in the
      File
      column for the
      Federal EFTPS (1041, 990 and 5227)
      filing.
    3. Review payment information in the grid on the Submit Federal Extension Payments pop-up window.
      The grid lists all the payments included in the EFTPS file. The total number of accounts and the total payment amount is listed before the grid. The
      Extension SubType
      column identifies payments associated with 990-T or 4270. A blank value in the
      Extension SubType
      column indicates the payment is associated with a 990-PF or 1041 return. For accounts requiring dual return processing, 2 payments (one for the 1041 and one for the 990) are listed.
      Select Export grid to export this grid.
    4. Select
      OK
      . The settlement date is validated and the payment file is created.
After the payment file is created, it is transmitted directly to the TFA. You should receive an acknowledgment from the TFA within 1 hour of the transmission of the file. The acknowledgment file indicates that your extension payment file was received by the TFA and that the file is not corrupt. Between 2 and 3 hours thereafter, you will receive another acknowledgment, which indicates whether the extension payments for the accounts in your payment file are accepted or rejected. For accepted payments, the total extension amount and any amounts for transaction fee charges must be deposited in your organization's ACH debit account by the settlement date.
The following registers list the accounts included in or excluded from the transmission to the TFA:
  • Balance Due Payment Confirmation
    : Use this register to determine the total amount that should be available for withdrawal from your organization's ACH debit account.
  • Balance Due payments Requested but not sent
    : Use this register to review the accounts that were excluded from the transmission to the TFA.
  • Taxpayer Balance Due Payment Detail
    : Use this register to review the accounts that were transmitted to the TFA and the corresponding account information. This register can help you determine the payment amount for each taxpayer.
On the settlement date, your ACH debit information is passed through the TFA, letting the ACH to take the money from the financial institution and distribute it to the U.S. Treasury.