The business tax forms you need depend on your business structure and tax obligations. C corporations generally file Form 1120, S corporations file Form 1120-S, and partnerships generally file Form 1065.
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Your return depends on your business type and what it does during the year. Match your situation to the form, check what else you may need, and see when each one is due.
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Forms that may apply to you
| Category | Form & Filing Details |
|---|---|
| Your main return | Form 1120 Reports corporate income, deductions, and tax. Due: April 15 fiscal year: 15th day of 4th month |
Business Filing
Business Tax forms
For corporations, partnerships, and businesses reporting income to the IRS.
When does a business owner need this category?
When the business needs to report its income, deductions, credits, and other financial details on a federal or applicable state business income tax return.
| Business type or situation | Main form | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|
| C corporation | Form 1120 | Reports corporate income, deductions, and tax. |
| S corporation | Form 1120-S | Reports S corporation income, deductions, and other tax items. |
| Partnership | Form 1065 | Reports partnership income, deductions, and partner allocations. |
| Multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership | Form 1065 | Generally, reports partnership income. |
| LLC electing C corporation taxation | Form 1120 | Generally, files as a C corporation. |
| LLC electing S corporation taxation | Form 1120-S | Files as an S corporation if the election is valid. |
Other forms the business may need
Form 1125-A: Cost of Goods Sold.
Form 1125-E: Compensation of Officers.
Schedule K-1 (Form 1065): Partner's share of partnership income and other items.
Schedule K-1 (Form 1120-S): Shareholder's share of S corporation income and other items.
Form 4562: Depreciation and Amortization.
Form 4797: Sales of Business Property.
Form 7004: Extension of time to file certain business returns; see the Extension Forms category below.
These additional forms are conditional; not every business needs all of them.
Payroll Tax Compliance
Employment Tax Returns
For businesses that pay employees or have specific employment tax obligations.
When does a business owner need this category?
When the business pays wages, withholds federal income tax, owes Social Security or Medicare taxes, or has other employment-related tax filing obligations.
| Business situation | Main form | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly payroll tax reporting | Form 941 | Reports federal income tax withheld, and both the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes. |
| Annual FUTA reporting | Form 940 | Reports federal unemployment tax. |
| Eligible small employer filing annually | Form 944 | Annual employment tax return for small employers with $1,000 or less in annual employment tax liability, as instructed by the IRS |
| Agricultural employees | Form 943 | Reports employment taxes for agricultural employees. |
| Quarterly payroll tax reporting | Form 941 SP | Spanish-language version of Form 941. It is not a separate tax filing requirement. |
| Aggregate Form 941 filers, such as qualifying agents or certified PEOs | Form 941 Schedule R | Allocates employment taxes among the clients of an aggregate filer. |
| Aggregate Form 940 filers, such as 3504 agents or certified professional employer organizations (CPEOs) | Form 940 Schedule R | Allocates FUTA tax information among the clients of an aggregate filer. |
| Correcting a previously filed quarterly payroll return | Form 941-X | Adjusts or corrects Form 941 as permitted by the instructions. |
| Correcting an annual FUTA return | Form 940-Amendment | Adjusts or corrects Form 940. |
| Correcting an agricultural employment tax return | Form 943-X | Adjusts or corrects Form 943. |
| Reporting backup withholding or certain other withheld taxes | Form 945 | Reports nonpayroll withholding. |
| Reporting certain withheld taxes incorrectly | Form 945-X | Corrects Form 945. |
Nonprofit Filing
Exempt Organization forms
For nonprofits, charities, and other organizations that qualify for tax-exempt status.
When does an organization need this category?
When it wants to apply for federal tax-exempt status, report its annual activities and finances, or report unrelated business income.
| Organization's situation | Main form | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Tax-exempt organization with unrelated business taxable income | Form 990-T | Reports unrelated business income and applicable tax. |
| Certain political organizations | Form 1120-POL | Reports taxable political organization income. |
Extension Filing
Extension forms
For businesses and organizations that need more time to file a tax return.
When does a business owner need this category?
When the business or organization cannot complete its required tax return by the original deadline and is eligible to request an extension.
| Return to be extended | Extension form | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1120 | Form 7004 | Extension for a C corporation return. |
| Form 1120-S | Extension for an S corporation return. | |
| Form 1065 | Extension for a partnership return. | |
| Form 1120-POL | Extension for a Political Organization. | |
| Form 990-T | Form 8868 | Extension for eligible exempt organization returns. |
Payment Reporting
Information Returns
For businesses that report payments, compensation, and other information to the IRS and recipients.
When does a business owner need this category?
When the business pays independent contractors, employees, vendors, or other recipients and must report certain payments or transactions
| Business situation | Main form | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Paying eligible independent contractors or reporting certain other payments | Form 1099-NEC | Reports nonemployee compensation. |
| Reporting rent, interest, dividends, and other specified payments | Form 1099-MISC | Reports miscellaneous information. |
| Reporting interest income | Form 1099-INT | Reports interest paid. |
| Reporting dividends and distributions | Form 1099-DIV | Reports dividends and certain distributions. |
| Reporting certain payment card or third-party network transactions | Form 1099-K | Reports qualifying payment transactions. |
| Reporting wages paid to employees | Form W-2 | Reports employee wages and withholding. |
Required Forms
Essential Forms:
Essential Tax Forms for Payee Information
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Form W-9 | Collects a U.S. person's taxpayer identification number and tax certification. |
| Form W-8BEN | Documents the foreign status of a non-U.S. individual and, when applicable, supports a claim for treaty benefits. |
These forms are generally provided to the requester or withholding agent, rather than filed with the IRS as standalone information returns.
Filing Due Dates
Deadlines for every form
Find the filing deadlines for each tax form, including due dates, extension options, and any additional filing requirements that apply to your business.
| Form | Due Date (Calendar year) | Due Date (Fiscal year) |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1120 | April 15 | 15th Day of 4th Month |
| Form 1120-S | March 15 | 15th day of 3rd Month |
| Form 1065 | March 15 | 15th day of 3rd Month |
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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Your employment tax forms depend on your payroll activities. Employers generally use Form 941 for quarterly payroll taxes, Form 940 for annual federal unemployment tax, or Form 944 if the IRS instructs them to file annually. Agricultural employers generally use Form 943.
Your business may need information returns based on payments and transactions during the year. Common examples include Form W-2 for employee wages, Form 1099-NEC for reportable nonemployee compensation, Form 1099-MISC for certain other payments, and Form 1099-INT for interest income.
Form W-9 is used to request a U.S. person's taxpayer identification number and certification. Businesses commonly collect it from contractors and other payees to help prepare required information returns. The requester generally keeps the completed form rather than filing it with the IRS.