Most United States taxpayers know April 15 is the deadline for individual income tax filing. However, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) mandates other filing and payment deadlines throughout the year for businesses.
Entrepreneurs and People Ops professionals must keep track of IRS business tax deadlines to ensure compliance and avoid costly penalties. These crucial due dates can impact payroll, benefits, and employee taxes.
We’ll summarize the critical 2025 business tax deadlines for various business structures, from sole proprietorships to corporations, ensuring that your organization remains compliant and well-prepared for the financial year ahead.
When are taxes due each year?
The IRS sets annual income tax return dates when tax filings for the previous year are due. The most significant day for individuals is April 15. If the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date is pushed to the next business day. Individuals can also file Form 4868 for an extension until October 15.
Corporation, sole proprietorship, and LLC tax return due dates vary depending on entity type and when an organization’s fiscal year ends. Most entities can adopt a fiscal year that differs from the calendar year for accounting purposes, but some may have to file with the IRS for approval.
Sole proprietor taxes are due on the 15th day of the fourth month after the tax year ends—April 15 for calendar-year taxpayers. Tax filings for partnerships and S corporations are due earlier: the 15th day of the third month after the tax year ends—March 15 in the calendar year.
The rules for corporations that aren’t S corps are slightly more complicated. Typically, the return is due on the 15th day of the fourth month after the tax year ends—unless the fiscal year ends on June 30. In this case, the deadline is the 15th day of the third month.
A company can apply for a business tax extension if it’s unable to submit tax returns by the due date.
Now that we’ve covered general tax deadlines, let’s discuss specific dates for the upcoming year.
2025 quarterly estimated tax deadlines
Businesses (and some individuals) must pay quarterly estimated taxes if their tax amounts exceed certain thresholds. Missing these deadlines can result in penalties.
Quarterly estimated tax payments for 2025 are due on the following dates:
- Q4 2024: December 16, 2024, for corporations; January 15, 2025, for individuals
- Q1 2025: April 15, 2025
- Q2 2025: June 16, 2025
- Q3 2025: September 15, 2025
- Q4 2025: December 15, 2025, for corporations; January 15, 2026, for individuals
Tax filing deadlines for businesses in 2025
Want to know when business taxes are due? Mark these important dates on your calendar. These apply to large and small business tax filing:
- January 31, 2025: Employers send W-2 forms to employees and 1099 forms to independent contractors and freelancers.
- March 17, 2025: If they follow the calendar year, S corporations, partnerships, and any multi-member LLCs organized as partnerships must file their taxes by this date.
- April 15, 2025: Taxes for C corporations and sole proprietorships are due if they’re calendar-year businesses.
- September 15, 2025: Deadline for extended partnership and S corporation returns.
- October 15, 2025: Deadline for extended C corporation and sole proprietorship returns.
2025 tax filing deadlines for individual filers
Individuals should remember these tax filing dates to stay on top of their returns:
- January 15, 2025: Q4 2024 estimated tax payments are due. This is important if you’re self-employed or have other income without tax withholding.
- January 29, 2025: The tax season begins. The Internal Revenue Service will accept and process your 2024 tax returns.
- February 17, 2025: Reclaim your exemption from withholding. If you had no tax liability for 2024 and don’t expect a tax liability for 2025, you can claim an exemption from withholding taxes using Form W-4.
- April 1, 2025: If you turned 73 in 2024, you must withdraw the first required minimum distribution (RMD) from your retirement account by this date.
- April 15, 2025: This is tax day. It’s also the final day to file IRS Form 4868 to request an extension and your last chance to make IRA and HSA contributions for the 2024 tax year. If you’re not ready to file your individual federal income tax return, you can request an extension until October 15, 2025. However, you’re still obligated to pay the taxes you owe by April 15, 2025.
- October 15, 2025: Deadline to file your extended 2024 tax return. If you requested an extension on your personal income tax filing, you’ll need to submit it by this date at the latest.
Other 2025 tax deadlines to consider
Here are some other important dates in the upcoming tax year:
- 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC forms: These report payments that don’t come from an employer, often applying to independent contractors and self-employed people. They also apply to income from interest, dividends, prize winnings, rent, royalties, and broker account transactions. Form 1099-NEC is due January 31, 2025. Form 1099-MISC is due February 28 if you file on paper or March 31 if you file electronically.
- Excise taxes: These are due quarterly—April 30, July 31, and October 31, 2025, for the first three quarters, then February 2, 2026, for Q4. Businesses must pay federal excise taxes if they deal in certain products, such as gasoline, tobacco, and alcohol. You submit these on IRS Form 720.
- Payroll taxes: These cover Medicare, Social Security, and unemployment taxes. Due dates are complicated, so it’s best to check the IRS website to see which dates apply to you.
How can businesses apply for a tax extension?
You can apply for a tax extension in a few ways, depending on what type of business entity you own.
Sole proprietorships file business taxes through the owner’s personal returns and follow the same process as individual filers. Here are the acceptable reasons for an automatic tax extension:
- You or your spouse is working in a combat zone in support of the U.S. Armed Forces.
- You’re a military member serving outside the U.S.
- You’re a U.S. citizen working and living outside the country.
- You’re a U.S. citizen who has been severely affected by natural disasters.
If you don’t fulfill the above criteria, your tax return won’t be automatically extended, but you can still apply for an extension with IRS Form 4868.
If you’re not a sole proprietor, you must file IRS Form 7004 using the IRS’s e-file service. Remember to submit a unique form for every late return.
The extension application deadline is the same as the original filing deadline. These are:
- Partnerships and S corporations: March 17, 2025
- Sole proprietors and C corporations: April 15, 2025
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Opt for a payroll provider that meets your unique needs to guarantee a smooth, hassle-free tax season.
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Frequently asked questions
When should my business tax year end?
This depends on whether you want to have a calendar year or a fiscal year.
A sole proprietor must follow personal income tax dates, whereas other businesses enjoy greater flexibility. Seasonal businesses might choose a fiscal calendar that ends after their busiest period, giving the organization downtime to ensure that their taxes are filed correctly.
What happens if you don’t file business taxes for 5 years?
You’re expected to file business tax returns every year. Expect hefty fines for skipping years. These come in the form of failure-to-pay and failure-to-file levies that accumulate until you submit your returns.
The failure-to-file fine is 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month you don’t file your business tax return.
The failure-to-pay penalty is a fee of 0.5% of your unpaid taxes every month.
How many years can a business go without paying taxes?
The answer to this is simple: zero. However, life gets in the way sometimes—a business partner might die, or an illness may prevent you from filing for a year.
You aren’t likely to go to jail, but fines and penalties will build up for every month you’ve missed your deadline. There’s no limitation to when you can back-file and pay a missed tax return.
About Oyster
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