IRS: Many farmers and fishers face March 3 tax deadline; disaster areas have more time

The Internal Revenue Service today reminded farmers and fishers who chose to forgo making estimated tax payments by January that they must generally file their 2024 federal income tax return and pay all taxes due by March 3, 2025. Because it’s on Saturday this year, the usual March 1 deadline is pushed back two days to Monday, March 3.

The special March 3 deadline allows farmers and fishers to avoid any estimated tax penalties. Though several tax-payment options are available, the IRS urges farmers and fishers to consider the quick, easy and free option of paying taxes electronically from their bank account using either their IRS Online Account or IRS Direct Pay. IRS Online Account and IRS Direct Pay are available only on IRS.gov.

The special March 3, 2025, deadline applies to anyone who qualifies as a farmer or fisher and did not make a 2024 estimated tax payment by Jan. 15, 2025. Those who made a qualifying payment by that date can wait until the regular April 15, 2025, deadline to file and pay and still avoid estimated tax penalties. See Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, for details.

For this purpose, a farmer or fisher is anyone who received at least two-thirds of their gross income from farming or fishing during either 2023 or 2024.

Special rules for disaster areas

Disaster-area taxpayers, including farmers and fishers, have more time to file and pay. This extension is automatic; taxpayers don’t need to file any paperwork or call the IRS to get it.

Currently, taxpayers in the entire states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and parts of Alaska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia have until May 1, 2025, to file and pay.

Like other taxpayers, these disaster-area taxpayers who need more time to file, beyond May 1, can get it by requesting an extension to Oct. 15, 2025. But because this extension request only gives them more time to file, any tax payments are still due by May 1.

Electronically filed extension requests must be made by April 15. Between April 15 and May 1, the request can only be filed on paper. To learn how, visit IRS.gov/extensions.

In addition, California wildfire victims have until Oct. 15, 2025, to file and pay. Likewise, taxpayers throughout Kentucky have until Nov. 3, 2025, to file and pay. No extension beyond these dates is available.

Paying online is safe, fast and easy

IRS Online Account allows individual taxpayers to make same-day payments from a checking or savings account. Taxpayers can also see their payment history, balance and payment plan information, and digital copies of many notices sent from the IRS.

Alternatively, taxpayers can use IRS Direct Pay to make or schedule a payment from their bank account with no registration or login required. Those who need to pay business taxes through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) can also choose to use this system to make their individual income tax payments.

For more information about these and other payment options, visit IRS.gov/payments.

Forms and publications to use

Farmers

• Use Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming, to report income and expenses.
• Use Schedule SE (Form 1040), Self-Employment Tax, to figure self-employment tax if net earnings from farming are $400 or more.
• See Topic No. 554, Self-Employment Tax, Publication 225, Farmer’s Tax Guide, and Agriculture Tax Center for more information.

Fishers

• Use Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship), to report income and expenses.
• Use Schedule SE (Form 1040), Self-Employment Tax, to figure self-employment tax if net earnings from fishing are $400 or more.
• See Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business, for commercial fishers who file Schedule C.

Related items

• For farmers and fishers operating as a partnership or corporation see Publication 541, Partnerships, or Publication 542, Corporations.
• For information on estimated tax, see Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, and Topic No. 416, Farming and Fishing Income.
• Publication 5034, Need to Make a Payment? PDF, (English and Spanish).

Source: IRS-2025-27, Feb. 27, 2025