Paper Tax Returns with Final Balances Paid Online

[KAWill]

The Federal EFTPS system and the California Franchise Tax Board provide for both Estimated Payments and Individual Tax or Tax Return Payments to be paid online. I would prefer to pay the balances due online rather than mail checks.

The new Federal Form 1040 Schedule 5 has provision for an additional payment on Line 74. However, California Form 540 only provides for Withholding and Estimated Tax payments. Would there be any problem making a final tax payment prior to April 15 that would be included with Estimated Tax payments on the form? An Estimated Tax payment now might appear to be late even though the 2018 Safe Harbor amount has been met.

On IRS Form 1040, would it also be acceptable to include the additional payment with Estimated Tax payments? The Federal 2018 Safe Harbor amount has also been met.

[kaneohe]

The end of the paper 540 has this: any info at that bolded site?
Wonder if you can put a note that you paid electronically at line 114 ?

111 AMOUNT YOU OWE. If you do not have an amount on line 96, add line 93, line 97, and line 110. See instructions. Do not send cash.
Mail to: FRANCHISE TAX BOARD
PO BOX 942867
SACRAMENTO CA 94267-0001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  111 . 00
Pay online – Go to ftb.ca.gov/pay for more information

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by kaneohe.

[KAWill]

Thanks for the reply. That link takes you to a page showing payment options including Web Pay which I do use for Estimated Tax Payments. Web Pay also lets you specify a Tax Return Payment even though Form 540 does not include a line for it. I’ll plan to designate any additional payments as Estimated Tax Payments. Their system should know that the safe harbor amount has already been paid and not flag any problems.

I just noticed on page 6 of the Form 540 Instructions that Mandatory Electronic Payments are required when amounts exceed certain thresholds. Fortunately those rules will not apply to my case.

[Lewis-H]

The Internal Revenue Service is not processing paper because many of tax workers are not in the office. … The IRS is still handling electronic returns. In fact, as of early April, the agency reported it had already sent out $213 billion in refunds.

[Author]

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