Step zeroBefore you start

Have these in front of you. Everything you need is in the copy of your return we sent you.

• The amount you owe for each return. It's on the payment voucher: Form 1040-V for the IRS and Form 3582 for California. The federal amount and the California amount are different, and they are paid on different websites.
• The tax year you're paying for (for example, 2025 if you just filed your 2025 return).
• Your Social Security number and, for the IRS, your date of birth and the address and filing status from a prior year's return. The IRS uses that to confirm it's you.
• Your bank routing number and account number. Both are printed on the bottom of a check: routing number first (9 digits), then the account number. They're also in your bank's app under account details.

FederalPaying the IRS with Direct Pay

Direct Pay takes you through five short screens. You'll see "Step 1 of 5" at the top of each one.

1. Go to irs.gov/payments/direct-pay and click "Make a payment"

   Only use the address above or the button on this page. Never follow a link from an email or text claiming to be the IRS; the IRS does not send those.

   Scroll to Pay personal taxes and click the blue Make a payment button. On some screens it appears as a link that says Pay individual tax; it's the same thing.

   

2. Tax Information: tell the IRS what the payment is for

   Three dropdowns. Choose exactly these:

   Apply Payment To	Form 1040 - Income Tax
   Reason for Payment	Balance Due or Payment Plan/Installment Agreement
   Tax Period for Payment	The year on your return (for example, 2025)

   

   If the IRS sent you a letter with an amount due, choose Notice or Bill as the reason instead. If you're paying quarterly estimates, choose Estimated Tax. Click Continue.

3. Verify Identity: prove it's you using an older return

   The IRS asks you to pick a Tax Year for Verification and enter details exactly as they appeared on that year's return: filing status, name, Social Security number, date of birth, and address. This year does not have to match the year you're paying for. Pick a year you're sure about. If you moved recently, use the address that was on that year's return, not your current one. Check the box to accept the Privacy Act notice, then Continue.

   

   If it says your information doesn't match

   Try a different verification year, and check that the name is spelled exactly as it was filed (middle initial, hyphen, suffix). After a few failed attempts the IRS locks you out for 24 hours, so call us before the third try at (916) 971-9315. We have the filed copy and can read you what the IRS has on file.

4. Your Payment Information: amount, date, and bank

   Payment Amount	The amount on your Form 1040-V, entered twice
   Payment Date	Today, or any date up to the due date (April 15)
   Routing Number	9 digits, from the bottom of a check
   Account Number	Entered twice to confirm
   Account Type	Checking or Savings
   Email Confirmation Notifications	Check the box and enter your email so the IRS sends your confirmation

   

   You can schedule the payment for a future date, up to a year ahead. Many clients pay right away and some schedule it for the due date; both are fine. The money comes out on the date you choose, not before.

5. Review and Sign

   Read the summary once more, especially the amount, the tax year, and the account number. Then sign electronically by typing your name and Social Security number, accept the authorization, and click Submit.

6. Confirmation: save the number

   You'll see a confirmation number on screen and, if you checked the email box, receive it by email as well. Screenshot the page or write the number down. That number is your proof of payment.

   Need to change or cancel a scheduled payment? Go back to irs.gov/payments/direct-pay, click Look up a personal tax payment, and enter the confirmation number and your SSN. You can change or cancel up to two business days before the payment date.

CaliforniaPaying the Franchise Tax Board with Web Pay

Web Pay is simpler than the IRS: it asks for your SSN and last name instead of a prior-year return.

1. Go to ftb.ca.gov/pay/bank-account and click "Use Web Pay personal"

   Make sure the Personal tab is selected, even if you own a business. Sole proprietors use Personal too. The Business tab is for corporations, LLCs, and partnerships paying their own tax, and it's the most common place people go wrong.

   

2. Login for Individuals: SSN and last name

   Enter your Social Security number as 9 numbers with no dashes, and your last name exactly as it appears on your return. If you filed jointly, use the Social Security number and last name of whoever is listed first on the return. Then click Login.

   

   The screen says it: if you use Web Pay, do not also mail the paper voucher.

3. Name & Address Information

   Enter your name and your current mailing address. Unlike the IRS screen, this one should be your current address, not a prior year's. Click Continue.

   

4. Payment Type: choose "Tax Return Payment"

   Pick Tax Return Payment for the balance on the return we just filed, then Continue.

   

   If FTB mailed you a notice with an amount due, choose Bill Payment. Quarterly estimates are Estimated Tax Payment (Form 540-ES).

5. Payment Information: year, amount, date, and joint or not

   Tax Year	The year on your Form 3582 voucher
   Payment Amount	The amount on your Form 3582
   Payment Date	Today, or any date up to the due date
   Is this a joint tax payment?	Yes if you filed Married Filing Jointly; otherwise No

   

6. Bank Information

   Enter your 9-digit routing number, your account number twice, and choose Checking or Savings. Click Continue.

   

7. Review, submit, and save the confirmation

   Check the amount, year, and account, then Submit. FTB shows a confirmation number on screen and emails it to you if you entered an email address. Keep it with your tax records.

AlternativesOther ways to pay

Debit or credit card

Both the IRS and FTB accept cards through outside processors, and the processor charges a fee: a flat $2 to $3 for most debit cards, and around 1.8% to 2% for credit cards (about $20 on a $1,000 payment). Start at irs.gov/payments or ftb.ca.gov/pay and choose the card option. Paying from your bank account, as described above, has no fee.

Check by mail

You can still mail a check with the voucher from your return copy: Form 1040-V to the IRS address printed on the voucher, Form 3582 to FTB. Write your SSN and the tax year on the check. Mail it at least a week before the due date, and keep in mind the IRS is moving away from paper checks, so this option may not last.

Can't pay the full amount?

Pay what you can by the due date to reduce penalties and interest, then call us. Both the IRS and FTB offer monthly payment plans, and we can set one up for you. Don't skip filing or paying altogether; the penalties for not filing are much higher than for not paying.

Watch outCommon mistakes

• Paying the federal amount to California, or vice versa. They're two different amounts on two different websites. Check the voucher.
• Picking the wrong tax year. If you just filed your 2025 return in 2026, the tax year is 2025.
• Choosing "Estimated Tax" for a balance due. Estimates are for next year's tax. Your balance due is "Balance Due" (IRS) or "Tax Return Payment" (FTB).
• Choosing "Business" on FTB Web Pay. Individuals and sole proprietors use Personal.
• Using your current address on the IRS identity screen when the verification year's return had an older address.
• Mixing up routing and account numbers. Routing is always 9 digits and comes first on a check.
• Not saving the confirmation number. It's the only proof you paid until the agency posts it, which can take a few weeks.

We're hereNeed help?

Call us at (916) 971-9315, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. You'll speak with a member of our staff, not an automated menu, and we'll walk you through it. Se habla español.