Form 8809

Search topics
glossary image

Form 8809

What is Form 8809?

Form-8809 is a form to be submitted by the organizations to the IRS, and this form is used for a time extension for filing the information returns.

For example:

  • 8809-Ex: Excise-Summary-Terminal-Activity-Reporting-System (ExSTARS) information report;
  • 88091-I: Used to request an extension of filling FATCA Form 8966

Where the Form 8809 is applicable?

Form 8809 is applicable to get a 30-day time extension to submit the information returns concerning the following forms, this is as per the IRS official website available information.

Those information return filing forms are appended below:

The revision was made in Form 8809 by the IRS in August 2020.

Why are these forms known as Information Return forms?

The forms for which IRS Form 8809 is submitted for a time extension of filling the information returns are called so due to the taxpayers and the government agencies being submitted with by the fillers the information related to the tax.  

What is inside form 8809 – the fields to be filled in by the submitting organization are as follows:

Form 8809 contains on the top the aforementioned form names for which Form 8809 is applicable.

Along the said, there is mentioned on the top of the form 8809 and it is worth mentioning here that Form 8809 can NOT be used to get a time extension in Form 1040 or 1040-SR, whereby for these forms Form 4868 is to be utilized instead of Form 8809.

Also, for filling out Form 1042, use Form 7004 as the instruction for the information returns submitters.

You must have your nine-digit Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) allocated and the same is requisite to be entered on the top right side (without hyphens therein) of Form 8809.

It is necessary to type or print in blank ink clearly on the left side of the column about the payer’s / filer’s information in terms of name, address, city, state, ZIP Code, Contact name, telephone number, and email address. Keep all this information on the ready reference before you are going to file the info return through IRS Form 8809.

Reading carefully other information available as part of Form 8809 is not avoidable at any cost and is a must to do, thereby certain guidelines are given generally as well as specifically for filers/payers. One on the top is being cited here for example for your understanding purpose that is the furnishing of statements to recipients “Extension under part M in the general instructions of Form 8809 for certain information returns”.

How many days is the provision in terms of time extension by the IRS to tax-payer fillers?

A total of 30 days is the time extension provision by the IRS to taxpayer information returns filers. In other words, filing form 8809 gives you 30 days as a time extension to fill out your information return forms. Moreover, if you require another time extension, this requires you to fill out Form 8809 a second time for the second time extension. But this second-time extension is conditional to the following scenarios:

  • Any fire, natural misadventure, or casualty for which your routine got pretentious
  • If you are in the first year of your operational business 
  • Catastrophic conditions around you and in federal so that operations got hindered
  • The employee concerned deputed for such filling was seriously in ailment, not present in the office, or dead
  • Any non-receipt of timely data in terms of payee statement 

It is pertinent to mention here that do bear in mind that second-time additional time extension is NOT applicable regarding form W-2 and 1099-MISC which reports non-employee compensation.

When to fill Form 8809 in a year?

Fill the Form 8809 as soon as you have an idea that you need a time extension for filing your info return to the IRS. But the IRS does NOT allow such before January 01 as IT is the due date for filing the information returns.

How much of your time is required to fill out the IRS Form 8809?

The time required to fill out the IRS Form 8809 varies depending upon the individual circumstances case to case but on average the estimated time is as mentioned below:

Record Keeping = 4 hours 4 minutes

Learning about Law / the form = 18 minutes

Preparation and Sending the form = 22 minutes

The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) official website welcomes its filers and payers for comments or suggestions for improvement purposes if any. IRS Form 8809 must be filed by the due dates of the forms for which you are requiring a time extension. And those due dates are as mentioned below in the next heading here.

What are the Due Dates for filling out your Information Return Forms?

The due dates for filing your information return forms are available on the IRS official website.

Summarizing Form 8809

IRS Form 8809 is for filling of information returns’ (tax returns information) extension of time provision officially up to 30 days in the first instance. You are required to apply for an extension when you doubt you are unable to file your information returns regarding tax on time, this way you avoid penalties and get the extension for filing the forms. Kindly remember the due date for filling out the forms are available on the IRS official website for reference. But bear in mind that filling out form 8809 has its due date: January 01 - the due date of information returns filling.     

For more information/cross-referencing: Visit the United States Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service (IRS) official website.