The penalty for filing taxes late to the IRS in 2025 is primarily a failure- to-file penalty of 5% of the unpaid tax amount for each month or part of a month the return is late, up to a maximum of 25% of the tax owed

. If you file more than 60 days late, the IRS imposes a minimum penalty which is the lesser of $525 (for 2025 returns) or 100% of the unpaid tax

. In addition to the late filing penalty, if you owe taxes and do not pay by the deadline, there is a late payment penalty of 0.5% of the unpaid tax per month, also up to 25% maximum

. When both penalties apply in the same month, the failure-to-file penalty is reduced by 0.5%, resulting in a combined penalty of 5% per month (4.5% filing

• 0.5% payment)

. Interest is also charged on unpaid taxes starting the day after the due date, currently at an annual rate of about 7-8%, compounding daily until the balance is paid in full

. Summary:

• Late filing penalty: 5% of unpaid tax per month, max 25%
• Minimum penalty if over 60 days late: $525 or 100% of unpaid tax, whichever is less
• Late payment penalty: 0.5% of unpaid tax per month, max 25%
• Combined max penalty (filing + payment): up to 47.5%
• Interest charged daily on unpaid taxes

Example: If you owe $1,000 and file 10 days late without an extension, you could face a combined penalty of about $50 plus interest

. These penalties emphasize the importance of filing and paying taxes on time or requesting an extension and paying owed taxes by the deadline to avoid costly fines