Instructions for Form 941 - IRS tax forms

1 Instructions for form 941(Revised October 2000)Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax ReturnSection references are to the Internal Revenue Code unless otherwise of the TreasuryInternal Revenue ServiceChange To NoteSocial security wage base for withholdingsocial security tax after an employee reaches $76,200 intaxable InstructionsPurpose of FormUse form 941 to report: Income tax you withheld from wages, including tips,supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, andthird-party payments of sick pay. Social security and Medicare Must FileEmployers who withhold income tax on wages, or whomust pay social security or Medicare tax, must file Form941 each calendar quarter.

2 After you file the first Form941, you must file a return for each quarter, even if youhave no taxes to report (but see the seasonal employerand final return information below). If you filed form 941on magnetic tape or by electronic or TeleFile methods, donot also file a paper form employers are not required to file forquarters when they regularly have no tax liability becausethey have paid no wages. To alert the IRS that you willnot have to file a return for one or more quarters duringthe year, check the Seasonal employer box above line1 on form 941.

3 The IRS will mail two forms 941 to youonce a year after March 1. The preprinted name andaddress information will not include the date the quarterended. You must enter the date the quarter ended whenyou file the return. The IRS generally will not inquire aboutunfiled returns if at least one return showing tax due isfiled each year. However, you must check the Seasonalemployer box on each quarterly return you , the IRS will expect a return to be filed for of the following categories ofworkers do not usually file form employees.

4 See Pub. 926, HouseholdEmployer's Tax Guide, and Schedule H ( form 1040),Household Employment Taxes. Farm employees. See form 943, Employer's AnnualTax Return for Agricultural Employees, and Circular A,Agricultural Employer's Tax Guide (Pub. 51).Business reorganization or you sell ortransfer your business, you and the new owner must eachfile a return for the quarter in which the transfer should report only the wages it paid. A change fromone form of business to another, such as from soleproprietorship to partnership or corporation, is considereda transfer and requires a new employer identificationnumber (EIN).

5 See section 1 of Circular E. If a changeoccurs, please attach a statement to your return thatshows: new owner's name (or new name of the business);whether the business is now a sole proprietorship,partnership, or corporation; kind of change (sale ortransfer); and date of a business is merged or consolidated withanother, the continuing firm must file the return for thequarter in which the change took place. The return shouldshow all wages paid for that quarter. The other firm shouldfile a final you go out of business or stop payingwages, file a final return.

6 Be sure to check the final returnbox and enter the date final wages were paid above line1. See the Instructions for forms W-2 and W-3 forinformation on the earlier dates for the expeditedfurnishing and filing of form W-2 when a final form 941is the FormThe following will allow the IRS to process form 941faster and more accurately: Make dollar entries without the dollar sign and comma( ). Enter negative amounts in parentheses. File the form 941 that has your preprinted name To FileFile starting with the first quarter in which you are requiredto withhold income tax or pay wages subject to socialsecurity and Medicare you made deposits on time in full payment of the taxesfor a quarter, you have 10 more days after the above duedate to file.

7 Your return will be considered timely filed if itis properly addressed and mailed First-Class or sent byan IRS designated delivery service on or before the duedate. See Circular E for more information on IRSdesignated delivery services. If the due date for filing areturn falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, youmay file the return on the next business To FileSee the back of form 941 for the mailing address for TaxesIf your net taxes (line 13) are $1,000 or more for thequarter, you must deposit your tax liabilities at anauthorized financial institution with form 8109, FederalTax Deposit Coupon, or by using the Electronic FederalTax Payment System (EFTPS).

8 See section 11 ofQuarterEndingDue 31 April 30 July 30 Oct. 31 Jan. 31 Cat. No. 14625 LCircular E for information and rules concerning Federaltax of forms 941 and W-3 Certain amounts reported on the four quarterly forms 941for 2000 should agree with the form W-2, Wage and TaxStatement, totals reported on form W-3, Transmittal ofWage and Tax Statements, or equivalent magnetic mediareports filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA)( form 6559). The amounts that should agree are incometax withholding, social security wages, social security tips,Medicare wages and tips, and the advance earnedincome credit.

9 If the totals do not agree, the IRS mayrequire you to explain any differences and correct anyerrors. For more information, see section 12 of and InterestThere are penalties for filing a return late and paying ordepositing taxes late, unless there is reasonable you are late, please attach an explanation to your are also penalties for failure to (1) furnish FormsW-2 to employees and file copies with the SSA or (2)deposit taxes when required. In addition, there arepenalties for willful failure to file returns and pay taxeswhen due and for filing false returns or submitting badchecks.

10 Interest is charged on taxes paid late at the rateset by law. See Circular E for additional : A trust fund recovery penalty may apply ifincome, social security, and Medicare taxes that must bewithheld are not withheld or are not paid. The penalty isthe full amount of the unpaid trust fund tax. This penaltymay apply when these unpaid taxes cannot beimmediately collected from the employer or business. Thetrust fund recovery penalty may be imposed on all personswho are determined by the IRS to be responsible forcollecting, accounting for, and paying over these taxes,and who acted willfully in not doing so.