Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)

Attention! As of January 1, 2011, many businesses will be required to make federal tax deposits electronically. For general EFTPS Customer Service assistance, call (800) 555-4477. If you have questions about the rule, search on "Tax Topics 757" at the IRS Web site or call the IRS at (800) 830-5215.

Future-Day Payments

The majority of taxpayers should use ACH Debit or ACH Credit to report and pay their taxes. Taxpayers must be enrolled in EFTPS to use either method.

ACH Debit

At least one day before the tax due date, taxpayers access EFTPS through the Internet, a touch-tone telephone or PC software. Based upon this input, an ACH Debit is originated to the taxpayer’s institution. Please note that payments must be scheduled by 8 p.m. ET the day before the due date to be received timely.

ACH Credit

At a taxpayer’s request, your institution would originate an ACH Credit to the U.S. Treasury at least one business day before the tax due date. This option does require an EFTPS enrollment, but the financial institution information is not part of that enrollment. Financial institutions are not required to initiate payments for taxpayers, and may charge a fee if they offer this service. Depending on the financial institution, cutoff times for ACH Credits may be earlier than if the taxpayer uses EFTPS.

Same-Day Payments

In extraordinary circumstances, a business taxpayer can ask its financial institution to make a same-day tax wire payment for it. Financial institutions are not required to do this, and may charge the taxpayer a fee. Cutoff times to request a wire transfer vary by financial institution.

Like other Fedwire funds transfers, a same-day Federal Tax Payment wire (Typecode 1000) settles immediately by debiting your institution and crediting the Treasury. For Retainer and Investor institutions, assuming your institution has sufficient capacity, TT&L will increase the balance in your TT&L account and credit your own or your correspondent's Reserve account. To download a worksheet showing the information required from the taxpayer and the required wire format, go to the Help&Information tab at Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)