Tax Day Countdown

Federal income-tax returns are due April 15 (when the 15th lands on a weekend or a D.C. holiday, the deadline slides to the next business day). This countdown targets the next April 15 — file early and it's someone else's problem.

How many days until Tax Day?

Tax Day is on Thursday, April 15, 2027, which is 258 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.

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Tax Day's story so far

1861-1872The Revenue Act of 1861 created the first federal income tax to help fund the Civil War, temporary and repealed in 1872 — a rehearsal for the permanent tax that came 40 years later.

1913The 16th Amendment, ratified February 3, 1913, gave Congress the power to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states, establishing the first permanent federal income tax with a March 1 filing deadline.

1918As the taxpaying population surged during World War I, Congress pushed the filing deadline back two weeks, from March 1 to March 15.

1954-1955A sweeping rewrite of the tax code moved the deadline a full month later, from March 15 to April 15, effective with returns filed in 1955.

1986The IRS piloted electronic filing with just 5 preparers in 3 cities. Adoption snowballed — by the 2022 tax year roughly 97% of individual returns were filed electronically.

2020As an emergency exception rather than a rule change, the Treasury and IRS pushed the filing and payment deadline from April 15 to July 15, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why April 15?

The modern income tax arrived with the 16th Amendment in 1913, with a March 1 deadline. It moved to March 15 in 1918, then to April 15 in 1955 — officially to spread out the IRS's workload. It's been the most dreaded date on the calendar ever since.

Need more time?

Filing Form 4868 by Tax Day gets you an automatic extension to mid-October — but it's an extension to file, not to pay. Interest runs on unpaid balances from April 15 regardless. When the 15th falls on a weekend or Emancipation Day (a D.C. holiday), everyone gets a day or two of grace automatically.

Quick facts

Federal returns are due April 15 (or the next business day)
The income tax dates to the 16th Amendment in 1913
The deadline moved from March 15 to April 15 in 1955
An extension moves filing to October — but payment is still due in April

Learn more

IRS Wikipedia

Tax Day — frequently asked questions

When is Tax Day?

Tax Day is on Thursday, April 15, 2027.

How many days until Tax Day?

Tax Day is on Thursday, April 15, 2027, which is 258 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.

Updated July 2026 · alarm-clock.org

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