What is the primary purpose of Form 4868?

Form 4868 is specifically designed for taxpayers who wish to obtain an automatic extension of time to file their individual income tax returns. By filing this form, individuals can extend their filing deadline by six months, moving it from the original April due date to October. It's important to note that while this form grants an extension for filing the return, it does not extend the time to pay any taxes owed. Therefore, taxpayers must still estimate their tax liability and make any required payments by the original due date to avoid penalties and interest.

This distinction is crucial as it emphasizes that the primary purpose of Form 4868 is solely to provide additional time for filing, rather than addressing other tax-related actions such as amending returns, reporting foreign income, or claiming deductions for dependents. Such actions have their own specific forms and procedures separate from the role of Form 4868.