Tax Due Dates

Every employer engaged in a trade or business who pays remuneration for services performed by employees must report wage payments, income tax withholding, social security tax, Medicare tax and if applicable, Additional Medicare tax, to the IRS and pay employment taxes on the payments. Generally, employers must report wages, tips and other compensation paid to an employee by filing the required Forms 940 and 941.

At the end of the year, the employer must file a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, to report wages, tips and other compensation paid to an employee with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and furnish a copy timely to the employee so that they can properly file their income tax returns.

Everyone who is engaged in a trade or business that makes certain types of reportable payments must report the payment to the IRS. Form 1099-NEC is used for reporting payments for non-employee compensation of $600 or more to a payee. Form 1099-MISC is used for reporting certain income other than non-employee compensation.

An employer must file the required forms by the required due date. If the due date for filing a return falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, then you may file the return on the next business day. https://www.irs.gov/site-index-search?search=tax+due+dates&field_pup_historical_1=1&field_pup_historical=1

Forms Filed Quarterly with Due Dates of April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31 (for the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year)

• File Form 941, Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return, if you paid wages subject to employment taxes with the IRS for each quarter by the last day of the month that follows the end of the quarter. If you timely deposited all taxes when due, then you have 10 additional calendar days to file the return. See Publication 15, (Circular E) Employer's Tax Guide, for more information.

• File Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, with Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, with the SSA to report wages paid and employment taxes withheld from these wages during the previous tax year. Forms W-2 and W-3 may be filed electronically, and certain employers can also file them on paper. Currently, employers who file 250 or more Forms W-2 are required to file them electronically. This number will decrease to 100 or more Forms W-2 once the IRS issues regulations implementing the changes to the electronic filing requirements provided in the Taxpayer First Act, enacted in July 2019. For more information about these forms including help in filing the forms electronically visit the SSA Website. Forms W-2 are additionally required to be furnished to employees by January 31.
• File Form 940, Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return, with the IRS to report taxable FUTA wages paid in the previous year. If you deposited all the FUTA tax when due, then you have 10 additional calendar days to file the Form 940. See Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax in Publication 15 for more information.
• File Form 943, Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return for Agricultural Employees, with the IRS if you paid wages to farmworkers in the previous year that were subject to employment taxes. Form 943 is used only to report wages paid to farmworkers and these same wages are not reported on Forms 941 or 944.
• File Form 944, Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return, with the IRS if the IRS has notified you in writing that you are to file Form 944 instead of Form 941 and you paid wages in the previous year subject to employment taxes. If you want to change whether you file a Form 941 or a Form 944 for the year, then follow the instructions for Form 944 to request this change. Until you receive written confirmation that your filing requirement has changed, continue to file the form the IRS previously notified you to file.
• File Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation, with Form 1096, Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns, with the IRS if you made payments in course of your trade or business totaling more than $600 to a payee for services performed by someone who is not your employee, cash payments for fish or fees to attorneys. Forms 1099-NEC and 1096 may be filed electronically, for more information see Publication 1220, Specifications for Electronic Filing of Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, and W-2G PDF. Forms 1099-NEC are additionally required to be furnished to recipients by January 31.
• File Form 945, Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax, with the IRS to report federal income tax withheld (or required to be withheld) from nonpayroll payments. If you deposited all withheld income taxes when due, then you have 10 additional calendar days to file. See Nonpayroll Income Tax Withholding in Publication 15 for more information.

• File Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, with Form 1096, Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns, with the IRS to report rents, royalties, prizes and awards and other fixed or determinable income paid in the prior calendar year. See instructions for the Form 1099-MISC for all the different types of income that is required to be reported and the applicable dollar amount reporting threshold. Forms 1099-MISC and 1096 may be filed electronically, for more information see Publication 1220 PDF. If you file Forms 1099-MISC and 1096 electronically, then the due date is March 31. The Form 1099-MISC is required to be furnished to payees by January 31.
• File Form 8027, Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, with the IRS to make an annual report for the previous year for your receipts from food and beverages and for the tips employees reported to you if you are a "large food or beverage establishment." See Publication 15 for more information including the definition of a "large food or beverage establishment" and see Publication 1239, Specifications for Electronic Filing of Form 8027, Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips PDF, for help in electronically filing Forms 8027. If you file Form 8027 electronically, then the due date is March 31.