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It's Tax Day, but remember: LA County taxpayers have until October to file most taxes
Rejoice, you have more time to file your taxes this year.
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Joe Raedle
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Getty Images
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What you should know
You don’t need to panic, Los Angeles. This is your friendly reminder that Tax Day moved this year to Oct. 15 for all of L.A. County.
The deadline was extended because FEMA declared a disaster in the wake of the deadly January fires. The extension applies to individual and business returns, estimated payments and more.
How it works
Most people won't need to do anything to get the relief.
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The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers who live in the covered disaster area. If you last filed with an L.A. County ZIP code, you should be fine to use the October deadline.
If you live or have a business outside of L.A. County and believe you were affected by the wildfires, you'll have to ask for the extension. Government or philanthropic relief workers helping with the recovery efforts should also qualify. You can call the IRS disaster hotline at (866) 562-5227 to request it.
What about estimated payments?
The extension for estimated payments applies to these dates:
- 2024 payments due on Jan. 15, 2025.
- 2025 payments due on April 15, June 16 and Sept. 15.
The deadline extension applies to 2024 payments due before Jan. 15 as well, according to IRS spokesperson Raphael Tulino. Estimated payments essentially roll over to the next due date if they're missed and remain unpaid — you'll just have a heftier bill.
Missed payments from earlier quarters in 2024 may have penalties applied. If it's your first time with a penalty, you can ask for relief.
Penalties won't be applied for estimated payments originally due on or after Jan. 7. as long as they're paid on or before Oct. 15.
Updated April 15, 2025 at 11:12 AM PDT
This story was updated to include infomation about how estimated tax payments work under the extended deadline.
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Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
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