The October 2026 tax deadlines cluster around three dates: Thursday, October 15 (the extended U.S. filing date), Saturday, October 31 (which rolls to Monday, November 2 in the United States, Canada and Illinois), and India's audit-case dates of October 21 and November 21. This post lists each date, who it affects and what to do if you have already missed one.
Which October 2026 tax deadlines apply in the U.S.?
The October 15 date is an extension to file, not to pay. Tax for 2025 was due April 15, 2026, and interest runs on any unpaid balance from that date.
| Date | What is due | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Oct 15 | Extended 2025 Form 1040 (Form 4868 filers) | Citizens, green card holders and resident aliens |
| Thu, Oct 15 | FBAR (FinCEN 114) for 2025, no extension request needed | U.S. persons whose foreign accounts exceeded $10,000 combined at any time in 2025 |
| Thu, Oct 15 | Form 8938, which rides with your return | Filers above the FATCA thresholds |
| Thu, Oct 15 | Extended Form 1120, including Form 5472 for foreign-owned U.S. corporations and LLCs | Calendar-year corporations that filed Form 7004 |
| Thu, Oct 15 | Federal payroll deposits for September wages (monthly depositors) | Employers |
| Mon, Nov 2 | Form 941 for July to September (October 31 is a Saturday) | Employers |
The IRS interest rate for individuals is 7 percent a year for the fourth quarter of 2026, compounded daily. Nonresident individuals without U.S. wage withholding had a June 15 original date, so their extended date generally runs six months later, to December 15, 2026.
What is due in Canada?
- October 15: payroll source deductions for September pay (regular remitters) and for the third quarter (quarterly remitters).
- November 2: GST/HST returns and payments for monthly (September) and quarterly (July to September) periods, because the due date is one month after the period ends and weekends move to the next business day.
- November 16: payroll remittances for October pay, since November 15 is a Sunday.
- December 15: the last 2026 personal tax instalment.
Individuals' 2025 returns were due April 30, 2026 (June 15 for self-employed people, with tax still due April 30). See the CRA deadline calendar and the GST/HST guide.
What is due in India?
Circular 07/2026, dated September 28, 2026, moved the tax audit report date for assessment year 2026-27 (financial year 2025-26) from September 30 to October 21, 2026, and the return date for persons whose accounts must be audited from October 31 to November 21, 2026. The circular covers only that category and does not change the dates for other filers. If you missed an earlier date, the usual route is a belated return, which generally carries a late fee and interest.
Other dates to put on the calendar, subject to your Chartered Accountant's confirmation under the Income-tax Act, 2025 where it now applies: monthly TDS deposits around the 7th, GST returns around the 11th and 20th, quarterly TDS statements for July to September around October 31, and the third advance tax instalment around December 15. The India compliance calendar and the advance tax guide explain how each works.
Which Illinois dates matter?
- October 15: extended 2025 IL-1040 due date.
- October 31: the Remote Retailer Tax Amnesty window ends, which matters if you sell into Illinois from outside the state.
- November 2: quarterly IL-941 withholding return for the third quarter.
Our Illinois compliance calendar lists the rest of the year.
What if you have already missed a date?
- File first, then sort out payment. The U.S. failure-to-file penalty is 5 percent of unpaid tax per month, capped at 25 percent, and the failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5 percent per month. For returns due after 2025, the minimum for a return more than 60 days late is $525.
- File a late FBAR as soon as you can. There is no extension request to make, so the October 15 date is the last date.
- Ask about relief. The IRS may waive penalties for reasonable cause or a clean compliance history; read our penalty abatement playbook.
- Canada: a late 2025 return with a balance owing carries 5 percent plus 1 percent for each full month late, up to 12 months.
How we can help
As a CPA firm serving Aurora, Illinois and the Fox Valley, we handle the U.S. side of your filings and coordinate with your Canadian CPA or Indian Chartered Accountant so the three returns agree. If a date has slipped, start with our foreign account and asset reporting or individual returns for newcomers and NRIs pages. Browse every calendar in our compliance section.
Frequently asked questions
Does the October 15 extension give me more time to pay?
No. The extension covers filing only. Payment was due April 15, 2026, and interest and the failure-to-pay penalty run until the balance is paid.
Do I need to request an FBAR extension?
No. The FBAR is due April 15 and the IRS gives an automatic extension to October 15 without a request. See the FBAR step-by-step guide.
Why does November 2 appear instead of October 31?
October 31, 2026 is a Saturday. U.S. payroll returns, Illinois returns and Canadian GST/HST returns are treated as on time if filed on the next business day, Monday, November 2.
Does India's November 21 extension cover NRIs?
Only if the NRI's accounts are subject to audit, such as an NRI running a business in India. A salaried NRI or investor filing a non-audit return is not covered, so confirm the position with your Indian Chartered Accountant.
Official sources
- IRS: Get an extension to file your tax return
- IRS: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
- IRS: Employment tax due dates
- CRA: GST/HST reporting requirements and deadlines
- Income Tax Department of India: Latest news (Circular 07/2026)
- Illinois Department of Revenue: What's New for Illinois Income Taxes (FY 2026-15)
This page summarizes public guidance in plain language. If anything here differs from the official source, the official source controls.
General information only. It is not tax, legal, accounting or immigration advice for your situation, and rules change; confirm the current rules with the official source or a licensed professional in the relevant country.