For Calendar Year Taxpayers Only
Please keep in mind that the calendar below is for calendar year taxpayers only, that is, taxpayers whose tax year runs from January 1 – December 31. If you or your business use a fiscal year as your tax year, you’ll have to figure out your tax deadlines separately.
Nobody likes paying taxes, but it’s something we all have to do. And it’s especially important that you pay your taxes timely unless you want to incur a penalty from the IRS and possibly your state or local taxing authority as well.
The tax deadline calendar below is categorized by type of taxpayer. Most IRS tax calendars online simply give all the deadlines in chronological order, but I personally think organizing the calendar by entity makes it a bit easier to navigate.
Table of Contents
Individual Deadlines
January 15, 2021: Make Q4 2020 Estimated Tax Payment
If you still owe estimated taxes for tax year 2020, you should make your fourth quarter payment using Form 1040-ES by January 15 to avoid incurring a Q4 estimated tax penalty.
Exception: If you file your 2020 tax return and pay any tax due by January 31, 2021, you can likewise avoid a Q4 estimated tax penalty.
February 15, 2021: Give Employer Updated Form W-4
This deadline only applies to a minority of individual taxpayers, namely those that claimed an exemption from income tax withholding in 2020.
If you claimed such an exemption, you must give your employer a new Form W-4 by February 15 to continue your exemption throughout 2021.
April 15, 2021: Make Q1 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If you owe estimated taxes for tax year 2021, you should make your first quarter payment using Form 1040-ES by April 15 to avoid incurring a Q1 estimated tax penalty.
May 17, 2021: File or Extend Individual Return
By May 17, unless you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien living and working (or on military duty) outside the United States and Puerto Rico, you need to have either:
Either way, if you owe tax, it should be paid by May 17 to avoid a late payment penalty.
June 15, 2021: Deadline for Taxpayers Abroad
By June 15, if you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien living and working (or on military duty) outside the United States and Puerto Rico, you need to have either:
Either way, if you owe tax, it should be paid by June 15 to avoid a late payment penalty.
June 15, 2021: Make Q2 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If you owe estimated taxes for tax year 2021, you should make your second quarter payment using Form 1040-ES by June 15 to avoid incurring a Q2 estimated tax penalty.
September 15, 2021: Make Q3 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If you owe estimated taxes for tax year 2021, you should make your third quarter payment using Form 1040-ES by September 15 to avoid incurring a Q3 estimated tax penalty.
October 15, 2021: File Extended Individual Return
If you extended your individual tax return for six months using Form 4868, September 15 is the extended due date of your return. By this date, you must file Form 1040 to avoid incurring a late filing penalty.
Partnership Deadlines
March 15, 2021: File or Extend Partnership Return
By March 14, you need to have either:
- filed your Form 1065 (in addition to providing each partner with a copy of their Schedule K-1) or
- extended your tax return for six months using Form 7004.
September 15, 2021: File Extended Partnership Return
If you extended your partnership tax return for six months using Form 7004, September 15 is the extended due date of your return. By this date, you must file Form 1065 and provide each partner with a copy of their Schedule K-1 to avoid incurring a late filing penalty.
S Corporation Deadlines
March 15, 2021: File or Extend S Corp Return
By March 15, you need to have either:
- filed your Form 1120S (in addition to providing each shareholder with a copy of their Schedule K-1) or
- extended your tax return for six months using Form 7004.
Either way, if your S corporation owes tax, it should be paid by March 15 to avoid a late payment penalty.
S Corporation Owing Tax? Say What?
I know what you’re thinking, “Wait, what did you just say about S corporations owing tax? I thought that S corps were passthrough entities, meaning that they don’t pay any income tax themselves but rather the shareholders pay tax on what’s reported to them on their K-1s.” Relax; you’re right. This is the case for the vast majority of S corps. But some S corps that previously existed as C corporations may have some “leftover” tax due from their C corp years.
September 15, 2021: File Extended S Corp Return
If you extended your S corporation tax return for six months using Form 7004, September 15 is the extended due date of your return. By this date, you must file Form 1120S and provide each shareholder with a copy of their Schedule K-1 to avoid incurring a late filing penalty.
March 15, 2021: Make S Corporation Election
If you’re planning on making a new S election to be effective for the entire calendar year 2021, you need to file Form 2553 by March 15.
If you miss this deadline, you may qualify for late S corporation election relief.
C Corporation Deadlines
April 15, 2021: File or Extend C Corp Return
April 15, you need to have either:
Either way, if your C corporation owes tax, it should be paid by April 15 to avoid a late payment penalty.
April 15, 2021: Make Q1 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If your C corporation owes estimated taxes for tax year 2021, it should make its first quarter payment using Form 1120-W by April 15 to avoid incurring a Q1 estimated tax penalty.
June 15, 2021: Make Q2 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If your C corporation owes estimated taxes for tax year 2021, it should make its second quarter payment using Form 1120-W by June 15 to avoid incurring a Q2 estimated tax penalty.
September 15, 2021: Make Q3 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If your C corporation owes estimated taxes for tax year 2021, it should make its third quarter payment using Form 1120-W by September 15 to avoid incurring a Q3 estimated tax penalty.
October 15, 2021: File Extended C Corp Return
If you extended your C corporation tax return for six months using Form 7004, October 15 is the extended due date of your return. By this date, you must file Form 1120 to avoid incurring a late filing penalty.
December 15, 2021: Make Q4 2021 Estimated Tax Payment
If your C corporation owes estimated taxes for tax year 2021, it should make its fourth quarter payment using Form 1120-W by December 15 to avoid incurring a Q4 estimated tax penalty.
1099 Deadlines
January 31, 2021: Delivery Deadline for Most 1099s
If you are required to file and issue one or more Form 1099s, and you are mailing out these forms to their recipients, they must be postmarked by January 31.
If you are sending these forms electronically, they must be delivered to their recipients by January 31.
Exception: Certain 1099s have different delivery deadlines.
January 31, 2021: Filing Deadline for 1099-NEC
You must file Form 1099-NEC reporting nonemployee compensation by January 31.
February 14, 2021: Delivery Deadline for Certain 1099s
If you are required to file and issue Form 1099-B, Form 1099-S, and/or Form 1099-MISC with substitute payments reported in box 8 or gross proceeds paid to an attorney reported in box 14, and you are mailing out these forms to their recipients, they must be postmarked by February 15
If you are sending these forms electronically, they must be delivered to their recipients by February 15.
February 28, 2021: Filing Deadline for Most Paper-Filed 1099s
Apart from Form 1099-NEC, which must be filed by January 31, you must file your other Form 1099s, along with separate Form 1096s, by February 28, if you are paper filing them.
March 31, 2021: Filing Deadline for Most Electronically-Filed 1099s
Apart from Form 1099-NEC, which must be filed by January 31, you must file your other Form 1099s, along with separate Form 1096s, by February 28, if you are electronically filing them.
Author:
Logan is a practicing CPA and founder of Choice Tax Relief and Money Done Right. After spending nearly a decade in the corporate world helping big businesses save money, he launched his blog with the goal of helping everyday Americans earn, save, and invest more money. Learn more about Logan.
