Resource Guide for
Understanding
federal
tax
deposits
The ABCs
of
FTDs
|
Resource Guide for
Understanding
federal
tax
deposits
The ABCs
of
FTDs
|
| the aBCs of ftds t’s a great feeling to have your own small business, isn’t it? You’re the boss! You Ihave a lot of responsibility to your customers, your suppliers and your employ- ees. You want your business to grow and to be successful. You constantly make decisions that affect your success. Each decision creates new opportunities and provides a new learning experience. Your employees are one of your business’ most valuable resources. In paying their salary, you have the responsibility of withholding taxes from their paychecks. This withholding includes your employees’ income tax and their share of FICA (social security and Medicare tax). You must periodically send this money to the United States Treasury on their behalf. This is called a “federal tax deposit.” You may be wondering why these federal tax deposits are so important. As you just read, the deposits are actually part of your employees’ wages. Equally important, the law requires that these deposits be made periodically. You could be charged large penalties if you don’t make them when they are due. This course was developed to help you better understand the rules for making these employment tax deposits so you can avoid these penalties. In fact, you could be charged additional penalties if you don’t file your employment tax returns on time and pay the money you owe. Through this course, we intend to make this process easier to understand. We can’t guarantee you’ll never have problems again with tax deposits; that’s up to you. We will provide you with some tips that will save you time and money—resources that you can then devote to making your business even more successful. Good luck with your business! 2 |
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taBle of Contents
Introduction Why You Are Here .............................................................................. 4
Chapter One Trust Fund Taxes Are Important ......................................................... 5
Practical Exercise 1
Chapter Two Federal Tax Deposit Rules For Form 941 And 944 Taxes .................... 7
Who Must Make Form 941 Deposits?
Who Must Make Form 944 Deposits?
What Taxes Must be Deposited?
When Should You Make Form 941 Tax Deposits?
When Should You Make Form 944 Tax Deposits?
What’s Your Deposit Schedule? (Lookback Period)
Summary of Steps to Determine Your Deposit Schedule
Exceptions to Deposit Schedules
When to Deposit Form 941 Employment Taxes (Flowchart)
Practical Exercise 2
Description of Deposit Schedules
Monthly Schedule Depositor
Semiweekly Schedule Depositor
Chapter Three Federal Tax Deposit Rules For Form 940 Taxes ..................................15
Who Must Make Deposits?
How is the Amount of Deposit Determined?
When are Deposits Made?
Chapter Four Where And How To Make Federal Tax Deposits ...............................17
How are Deposits Made?
How do I Make Electronic Federal Tax Deposits?
Frequently Asked Questions
Customer Service Telephone Numbers for EFTPS
Practical Exercise 3
Chapter Five Federal Tax Deposit Penalties ............................................................21
Practical Exercise 4
Chapter Six Summary ............................................................................................23
Glossary ..............................................................................................24
Answer Key For Practical Exercises ...................................................25
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introDucTion Why you are here
i
ou are here to learn about making federal tax deposits. We are here to help
Yyou do that. Our goal is to give you the tools you need to:
› Understand the special nature of employment taxes,
› Compute the required deposit amounts for Forms 941,944, and 940,
› Determine your deposit schedules and deposit due dates for Forms 941, 944
and 940,
› Use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), and
› Understand that penalties for late tax deposits are expensive.
As we’ve already mentioned, we’ll be discussing the basics of federal tax depos-
its. We’ll first look at what makes employment taxes different from other taxes,
and we’ll discuss the rules for depositing taxes related to Forms 941, 944 and 940.
Then, we’ll outline the methods used to make tax deposits electronically, through
your phone or the Internet. Finally, we’ll explain the financial consequences of not
making correct, timely deposits.
Use this Resource Guide to get familiar with the requirements for making tax depos-
its. By putting this information into practice, you may avoid the resulting penalties
and interest. That means money in your pocket. After all, isn’t that why you’re in
business?
To illustrate how much it will cost you to make your federal tax deposits late, con-
sider this example: Assume your monthly liability for withheld income tax, employ-
ee's share of FICA (social security and Medicare) tax, and your employer’s match-
ing share totals $3,000 per month. Review the graph below to see how quickly the
penalty for making late deposits increases. As you can see, using your trust fund
taxes to finance your business can be very expensive.
FTD Penalty on $3,000 Deposit
$500
$450
$400
$300
$300
$200
$150
Penalty Amount
$100
$60
$0
1 to 5 6 to 15 16 + 11+ days after
Days past due date first bill
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trust fund taxes are
chapterone Why you are here
1
important
hen you pay your employees, you do not pay them all the money they
Wearned. The income tax and the employees’ share of FICA (social security
and Medicare tax) you withhold from your employees’ paychecks are the part of
What it means
their wages you pay to the United States Treasury instead of to your employees.
trust fund tax: Money The portion of their wages you hold for transmitting to the United States Treasury
withheld from an is called “Trust Fund” taxes. Through this withholding, your employees pay their
employee’s wages contributions toward their social security and Medicare benefits and the income
(income, social securi- taxes reported on their own tax returns. Your employees’ trust fund taxes, along
ty and Medicare taxes) with the employer’s share of FICA tax, are paid to the United States Treasury
by an employer and through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).
held in trust until paid
to the United States As you can see, the part of your employees’ wages that you do not give them is
Treasury. actually their money. You should deposit these amounts on time for their benefit.
Postponing the tax deposit isn’t the same as using your own money to make a late
payment on your phone bill or to a supplier.
Congress established large penalties for employers that delay in turning over
employment taxes to the United States Treasury. The longer you delay paying that
money, the more it could cost you.
Employer:
“You earned gross
wages of $300 this
week.”
Employee:
“Here is the $30 for my income
tax, and the $23 for my social
security retirement and Medi-
care for you to send to the United
States Treasury. Be sure to send
your employer share of social
security and Medicare, too!”
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
practical exercise one
1 Which of the following are “trust fund” taxes?
A. Withheld income taxes
B. Employer’s portion of social security and Medicare tax
C. Employee’s portion of social security and Medicare tax
D. A and B
E. A and C
F. B and C
2 The trust fund portion of tax deposits belong to:
A. Stockholders
B. Business Owner
C. Customers
D. Employees
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federal tax deposit rules
chapter2 Two
for form 941 and 944 taxes
ow that you understand federal tax deposits are important, you are ready
What it means Nto learn the rules for making the deposits. As of January 1, 2011, all deposits
form 941 (employer’s must be made electronically.
Quarterly federal tax
return): Return reporting Who must make form 941 deposits?
federal income tax Deposits are required if you file Form 941 with $2,500 or more in taxes per quar-
withheld, and employer ter. Starting in 2010, deposits are not required if the tax for the current quarter is
and employee shares of $2,500 or more and the prior quarter taxes are less than $2,500, unless a tax liabil-
FICA taxes. The return is ity within a deposit period reaches or exceeds $100,000. See Exceptions to Depos-
due the last day of the it Schedules on page ten.
month following the end of
the quarter.
Who must make form 944 deposits?
Deposits for Form 944 filers are not required unless the tax liability for the year
form 944 (employer's
reaches $2,500 or more. Please see Instructions for Form 944.
annual federal tax
return): Return reporting
federal income tax What taxes must be deposited?
withheld, and employer › Income tax withheld from your employees
and employee shares of
FICA taxes. The return › FICA (social security and Medicare) tax withheld from your employees
is due January 31 of the
following year. › FICA (social security and Medicare) tax — the employer’s share
important difference
fiCa: Federal Insurance
Contributions Act, which › Making deposits and filing employer returns with payments are not the same.
provides for social security Taxes are:
and Medicare benefits.
» Reported by filing, and
» Paid by depositing
Let’s review this payroll record to compute the amount of taxes to be deposited.
xyZ company
payroll record For JUly 2017
colUmn a colUmn B colUmn c colUmn d colUmn e
Gross Income Tax employee s' n eT employer s'
employee WaGes WIThheld FIca WaGes FIca
• Joe $ 1,000.00 $ 150.00 $ 76.50 $ 773.50 $ 76.50
• Jane 1,200.00 180.00 91.80 928.20 91.80
• John 1,800.00 270.00 137.70 1,392.30 137.70
ToTals $ 4,000.00 $ 600.00 $ 306.00 $ 3,094.00 $ 306.00
B + C + e = total deposit due
600 + 306 + 306 = $1,212
In this example, the employer would deposit $1,212, the total of the income tax withheld, and both the
employer’s and employees’ shares of FICA tax.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
When should you make form 941 tax deposits?
What it means The easiest way is to make a deposit the same day you make payroll, or anytime
lookback period: If no later than the deposit due date.
you have filed only
Form 941, the lookback › If your total taxes on Form 941 for the current quarter or the preceding quarter
period is a 12-month are less than $2,500, and you did not incur a $100,000 next-day deposit obli-
period that ends June gation in the current quarter, you may pay the taxes with the return or deposit
30 of the prior year. If by the return due date. See Exceptions to Deposit Schedule on page 10.
you filed Form 944 in
either of the two previ- › If your total taxes on Form 941 are $2,500 or more in both the prior quarter and
ous years, or you are the current quarter, you’ll need to determine which deposit schedule to follow.
filing Form 944 in the
current year, the look- When should you make form 944 tax deposits?
back period is the Form 944 is for the smallest employers whose tax liability is below the minimum
second prior calendar for making deposits. Deposits are not required if the annual tax is less than $2,500.
year. See Instructions for Form 944 instructions if the annual liability exceeds $2,500.
the total tax liability
What's your deposit schedule?
reported during the
lookback period is used To determine your deposit schedule, you need to review the amounts of tax report-
to determine which ed on your earlier Forms 941 and 944. If you are filing Form 944, or if you filed Form
deposit schedule a 944 during either of the previous two years, your "lookback period" for 2017 is the
business uses during calendar year 2015. If you filed only Forms 941, you can determine your deposit
the current year: schedule using the "Lookback Period" table below.
$50,000 or less – follow
the Monthly Deposit Lookback Period for 2018 Deposits
Schedule July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017
More than $50,000 – 2016 2017
follow the Semiweekly
Deposit Schedule third & Fourth Quarters First & second Quarters
7/1/16 through 9/30/16 1/1/17 through 3/31/17
adjustments and
the lookback rule. 10/1/16 through 12/31/16 4/1/17 through 6/30/17
Determine your liability
for the lookback period
based on the tax If you are a new employer and had no employees during the lookback
liability as reported period, you are automatically a Monthly Schedule Depositor. Two exceptions to
on your Forms 941 this rule are explained on page 10.
and 944. Adjustments
made on Form 941-X, After you determine your lookback period, you need to total the taxes reported on
Adjusted Employer's Forms 941 during this period. Once you determine your total tax during the look-
QUARTERLY Federal back period, it is easy to determine your deposit schedule:
Tax Return or Claim
for Refund, and Form › If total taxes are $50,000 or less, you make monthly schedule deposits.
944-X, Adjusted
Employer's ANNUAL › If total taxes are greater than $50,000 you make semiweekly schedule deposits.
Federal Tax Return or
Claim for Refund, do
not affect the amount of
tax liability for previous
periods for purposes of
the lookback rule.
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Chapter 2 • Federal Tax Deposit Rules for Form 941 Taxes
Let’s go over an example to help
determine your deposit schedule
for 2018. Since the lookback period
is July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, we
need to add the taxes from Forms
941 for the third and fourth quar-
ters of 2016 and the first and second
$10,000 quarters of 2017.
A
$9,000
B
C
$5,000
$11,000
Tax from Line 10, D
Quarter Form 941
In this example, the total taxes (line E) during
a third 2016 $ 10,000 the lookback period were $35,000. Since this is
B Fourth 2016 + 9,000 less than $50,000, the business will be a monthly
c First 2017 + 5,000 schedule depositor for 2018.
d second 2017 + 11,000
e total t ax in lookBack period = $ 35,000
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
summary of steps to determine your deposit schedule
1. Identify lookback period.
2. Add the total taxes (line 10 of Form 941) you reported during the lookback
period.
3. Determine your deposit schedule:
if the total taxes you reported
in the lookback period were... Then you are a...
$50,000 or less Monthly Schedule Depositor
More than $50,000 Semiweekly Schedule
Depositor
Employers are required to determine their own deposit schedule. Depos-
it schedules remain the same for the entire calendar year unless you meet one of
the exceptions explained below.
What it means
exceptions to deposit schedules
deposit period: The period 1. $100,000 Next- Day Deposit Rule:
of time during which an
employer accumulates » If, during any deposit period, you accumulate a tax liability of $100,000 or
tax liability for paying to more, you must make a deposit by the next business day. See the definition
the United States Trea- of "business days" below. Note: This applies even when your prior quarter tax
sury on the next due is less than $2,500.
date. Deposit periods vary
depending on which » Once you meet the $100,000 next-day rule, you follow the semiweekly sched-
deposit schedule the ule for all deposits less than $100,000. You are a semiweekly schedule deposi-
employer must follow. tor for the rest of the year, and during all of the next calendar year.
2. Business Days
» If your deposit is due on a non-business day, make it by the close of the next
business day.
» Business days include every calendar day other than Saturdays, Sundays, or
legal holidays. The term "legal holiday" means any District of Columbia legal
holiday.
helpful hint: use the easy-to-follow flow chart on the next page to help you deter-
mine your deposit schedule.
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Chapter 2 • Federal Tax Deposit Rules for Form 941 Taxes
When to deposit form 941 employment taxes
Are the total taxes for the prior quarter
less than $2,500 and all of the current Deposit taxes by the end of
quarter tax liabilities within a deposit the month after the end of
YeS
period less than $100,000? the quarter, or remit taxes
with Form 941.
if, unsure, answer no.
no
Have you accumulated a
Deposit taxes by the next
tax liability of $100,000 or more yesYeS
business day.
within a deposit period?
no
Did you fall under the You are a Semiweekly Sched-
$100,000 rule at any time ule Depositor.
yesyesYeS
during this year or last year? Deposit taxes from
paydays paid on:
• Wednesday, Thursday
no
and Friday by the
following wednesday.
Are the total taxes for the • Saturday, Sunday,
lookback period yesyesyesYeS Monday and Tuesday
more than $50,000? by the following Friday.
no
You are a
Monthly Schedule Depositor.
Deposit taxes for the month
by the 15th of the following month.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
practical exercise two
1 To determine when deposits are due for 2017, com-
pute the tax liability in the lookback period using
the information from the following list of Form 941
and the chart below.
form 941 Quarter tax
First 2015 $9,200
second 2015 $8,800
third 2015 $8,000
Fourth 2015 $8,500
First 2016 $9,000
second 2016 $9,090
third 2016 $9,100
Fourth 2016 $9,300
Quarter total taxes from form 941
A +
B +
C +
D +
E Total =
2 Based on your answer to Question 1 , which deposit
schedule would you follow in making your FTDs?
A. Semiweekly
B. Monthly
3 Which deposit schedule would you follow in mak-
ing your FTDs if this is the first quarter that the busi-
ness has employees and the tax liability was $5,000
for the quarter?
A. Semiweekly
B. Monthly
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Chapter 2 • Federal Tax Deposit Rules for Form 941 Taxes
description of deposit schedules
Now that you know how to determine if you are a Monthly Schedule Depositor or
a Semiweekly Schedule Depositor, you are ready to learn the deposit requirements
for each schedule.
1. monthly schedule depositors — Deposit each month’s taxes by the 15th of the
next month.
JuLY AuGuST
S M T w T F S S M T w T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31
[ [
Deposits for payroll paid any
day in July are due on (or
before) August 15.
2. semiweekly schedule depositors — Most employers will make deposits on
Wednesdays or Fridays, depending on when you pay payroll.
AnY week “Semiweek-
Sun Mon Tue weD THu Fri SAT ly” depositors only have
Payday to make deposits twice a
week if they pay payroll
Payday Payday Payday Deposit more than once a week.
For example, if you paid
For wages paid Saturday, Sunday, Monday or hourly employees on Fri-
Tuesday, deposit taxes by following Friday. days, and salaried
employees on the 5th
and 20th of a month,
you may end up with
AnY week two different paydays in
Sun Mon Tue weD THu Fri SAT a week, and could have
Payday Payday Payday to make one deposit on
Wednesday and anoth-
Deposit
er on Friday.
For wages paid Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday,
deposit taxes by following Wednesday.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
remember!
1. Deposits can be made anytime from payday through the deposit due date.
2. Deposit rules are based on when wages are paid, not earned. (For example, a
monthly schedule depositor with wages earned in June but paid in July, must
deposit by August 15.)
3. The terms “monthly schedule depositor” and “semiweekly schedule deposi-
tor”:
» do refer to which set of rules you should follow to make deposits, but
» don’t refer to how often you pay wages, or make deposits.
4. A monthly schedule depositor deposits taxes from all paydays in a month by
the 15th of the next month, even if they pay wages every week.
5. A semiweekly schedule depositor deposits taxes by the Wednesday or Friday
following payday, even if they pay wages only once a month.
6. deposit periods—period of time that undeposited taxes are accumulated for
payment to the United States Treasury:
» Calendar month for monthly schedule depositors;
» Wednesday through Friday, or Saturday through Tuesday for semiweekly
schedule depositors.
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federal tax deposit rules
chapterTHree
3 for form 940 taxes
n addition to taxes reported on Forms 941 or 944, employers are also responsi-
Ible for Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes which are reported on Form
940. Only the employer pays FUTA tax—it is not deducted from employees’ wages
and is not a trust fund tax.
Who must make deposits?
What it means An employer with more than $500 in undeposited FUTA tax at the end of any quar-
form 940: Employer’s ter. This includes any FUTA tax that was not deposited in a prior quarter during the
Annual Federal calendar year. As of January 1, 2011, all deposits must be made electronically.
Unemployment Tax
(FUTA) Return–Return how is the amount of deposit determined?
reporting federal The tax applies only to the first $7,000 paid to each employee each year. Gener-
unemployment tax, ally, for deposit purposes you will figure FUTA tax liability quarterly by multiply-
due January 31st of the ing taxable wages by .006 (.6%). This may differ if any wages subject to federal
following year. unemployment tax are exempt from state unemployment tax or if the state hasn't
repaid loans from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits. Publi-
cation 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, and the Instructions for Form 940 pro-
vide more information.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
let’s look at this example to determine how to compute the
futa tax deposit for the first quarter of the year.
Payroll for Quarter ending March 31
A B c D e
employee gross Wages suBJect Wages suBJect to Federal tax Futa t ax
Wages to state t ax (u p to $7,000 (column d
per employee per year) x .006)
Joe $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 $36
Jane $8,000 $8,000 $7,000 $42
John $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $30
ToTAL $19,000 $19,000 $18,000 $108
the $108 undeposited tax is $500 or less, and can be held
over to the next quarter.
When are deposits made?
Your deposit schedule depends on the amount of your tax liability at the end of a
quarter.
› You are required to make quarterly deposits when undeposited taxes reach
more than $500. The deposit is due the last day of the month following the end
of the quarter.
› In the example above, the $108 undeposited tax is $500 or less, and can be
held over to the next quarter. If the annual FUTA tax is $500 or less, it can be
paid with the Form 940 or deposited by the return due date.
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Where and hoW to make
chapterFour
4
federal tax deposits
how are deposits made?
Deposits are made through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).
The taxpayer is guided through the payment steps. You may make payments
through the Internet at www.eftps.gov or by calling 1-800-555-4477.
how do i make electronic federal tax deposits?
Use your phone or the Internet to access the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System
(EFTPS). You can arrange for your tax deposits to be transferred directly from your
existing bank account to the United States Treasury. EFTPS is a service provided
free by the United States Treasury, and uses the highest security available. Any
federal tax can be deposited electronically through EFTPS.
do i need to obtain special equipment in order to use eftps?
No, you may use any telephone, or your personal computer with Internet access
to input your tax deposit information. You can pay online at our website: www.
eftps.gov.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
how does eftps actually Work?
You make contact with EFTPS by telephone, using the toll-free phone number
1-800-555-3453, or by visiting the EFTPS website, www.eftps.gov. This automated
system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You should initiate your
payment no later than 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time the day before your deposit is due.
What it means After establishing contact:
employer identification
› Enter your EIN and a personal identification number (PIN) and Internet pass-
number (ein): A
word.
permanent identification
number assigned to each › Enter the amount, form number, tax period and the date you want the money
business to use when withdrawn from your account.
making tax deposits and
for filing all required tax › Your funds will be transferred from your account directly to the United States
returns. Treasury account on the date you specify, for the amount you specify. No one
has unauthorized access to your account information.
When using EFTPS, make sure your bank account contains sufficient
funds to cover your tax transfer.
how do i sign up for eftps?
Enroll online at www.eftps.gov, or call 1-800-555-4477 to request an enrollment
form. After you complete the enrollment form, EFTPS will send you a Confirmation
Packet, including a step-by-step Payment Instruction Booklet and the telephone
numbers for accessing EFTPS.
does the eftps system have safeguards to prevent unauthor-
ized access?
When you use EFTPS, you receive a personal identification number (PIN), that must
be used in combination with your EIN to gain access to EFTPS. You have complete
and exclusive control over your PIN. The IRS does not have access to your PIN. And
if you make your payments online, you will also use an Internet Password, as an
additional safeguard when using the Internet.
how do i prove that i have made an electronic deposit?
With EFTPS, you will receive an immediate acknowledgment number when you
complete the transaction. The acknowledgment number will verify you have
timely initiated your payment. In addition, the funds transfer will appear on your
bank statement.
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Chapter 4 • Where and How to Make Federal Tax Deposits
Will i be charged a fee for using eftps?
The government does not charge a fee for originating direct transactions through
EFTPS. Most banks do not charge a fee for processing EFTPS payments. However, if
the bank does charge a fee, it’s usually no more than the cost of processing a paper
check. You should check with your financial institution to learn if it will charge a
fee.
Can i schedule payments in advance?
Yes. You can go online or call to schedule a tax payment up to 120 days in advance
of the due date. On the date you indicate, the funds will be transferred to make
your payment per your instructions.
Can i use eftps for personal tax payments?
Yes. EFTPS is available to all taxpayers. You would enroll separately as an individ-
ual and you could make your personal tax payments through EFTPS.
do i have access to my payment history?
Yes. With EFTPS, you have access to the last 16 months of your payment history
online or by phone. The history feature shows when payments were made, the
amounts, the taxes paid, and the acknowledgement numbers for each payment.
What are the advantages of using eftps?
› You don’t have to write a check or mail a letter.
› You can make an arrangement in advance to make a transfer on the day
before it is due.
› It allows you to use your time more efficiently.
Customer service telephone numbers for eftps
This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
English 1-800-555-4477
Spanish 1-800-244-4829
TDD 1-800-733-4829 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday
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practical exercise 3
Compute the amount of tax to be deposited for the
month of April using the information below.
income t ax employees’
Fica tax
month Wages Withheld Withheld
april 2017 $10,000 $1,500 $765.00
m 2017ay $9,000 $1,400 $688.50
J une 2017 $11,000 $1,600 $841.50
ToTAl $30,000 $4,500 $2,295.00
This information would be used to make the deposit by EFTPS. You
would simply go online or call the toll-free number, and provide
your Employer Identification Number and PIN, and the tax form
and tax period.
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federal tax deposit
chapterFive
5 penalties
s you previously learned, it is important to make timely federal tax depos-
Aits because most of the money belongs to your employees. If you make these
deposits late, you will receive a penalty. This penalty is called a “failure to depos-
it” penalty and is computed by multiplying the amount of tax you have under-
paid by a penalty percentage rate based on how many days late you make the
deposit.
at a Glance Failure to Deposit Penalty Percentage rates
percenTaGe raTe penalTy on
failure to deposit penalty
nUmBer oF days laTe UnderpaymenT $3,000
rates for unpaid tax:
1–5 2% $60
1-5 days late: 2% 6–15 5% $150
6-15 days late: 5% 16 + 10% $300
16 or more days late: 10% More than 10 days after first IRS bill 15% $450
More than 10 days after
the first IRS bill: 15% In addition to the above deposit penalties, you will also be subject to penalties if
you file your Forms 940, 941, or 944 late, or don’t pay the amount due on the return:
other Penalties
raTe maxImUm
Failure To File Penalty 5% per month of unpaid tax on 25%
the due date, reduced by the
amount of failure to pay penalty
for the same month
1/2 % per month of
Failure To Pay Penalty unpaid tax, then 1% per month 25%
after Notice of Intent to levy
reminder: In addition to penalties, you also must pay interest. Interest rates are set
quarterly. For example, the interest rate has recently varied between 3–6%. You
will continue to pay interest until you pay all the money you owe the government.
A ten per cent avoidance penalty is assessed if you do not deposit as required.
The penalty is charged if you send a payment to the IRS when you are required to
deposit. The avoidance penalty is assessed at the same time as the failure to depos-
it penalty, not in addition to the failure to deposit penalty.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
As a business person, you regularly have to make decisions regarding the financ-
ing of your business, especially during periods when you face a cash flow prob-
lem. You may rely on your banker for this financing. However, you may also con-
sider using unpaid tax deposits. To do this, you wouldn’t deposit trust fund taxes
withheld from your employees. This means you would get penalties. Let’s assume
you need $10,000 for a year and compare three different ways of obtaining the
needed money.
option a: Bank financing at 10%
$ 10,000 + $ 1,000 Interest = $ 11,000
option B: Use a credit card at 18%
$ 10,000 + $ 1,800 Interest = $ 11,800
option c: Use the Trust Fund Taxes
$ 10,000
+ $ 1,500 Deposit Penalty 15%
+ $ 1,200 Failure to Pay Penalty 1% per month
+ $ 500 Interest
= $ 13,200
Not only is it wrong to use trust fund monies to finance your operations, it
can also be the most expensive alternative.
practical exercise 4
Please indicate whether each statement is true or false.
T F
1 Employer has $2,400 in tax liability for the quarter. As long as
deposits are made by the return due date, there is no deposit
penalty.
2 The penalty for late deposits varies depending on how late the
deposit is made—the amount increases the later the deposit is
made.
3 The penalty for late deposits is 10% of the amount of the undepos-
ited tax, no matter when it is paid.
4 There are additional penalties on taxes that are not paid or
returns not filed by the due date of the return.
5 Employer has $2,000 in tax liability for the second quarter.
Employer has $52,000 liability for the third quarter. There may
be a deposit penalty if a payment is sent with a timely filed third
quarter tax return.
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chapterSix summary
6
ou have learned the “ABCs” of FTDs — the basic rules for making federal tax
Ydeposits of employment taxes. In a nutshell:
Who is required to make deposits?
Employers with an employment tax liability of $2,500 or more in any calendar
quarter and $2,500 or more in the prior quarter, or a tax liability of less than $2,500
in the prior quarter and a $100,000 next-day deposit obligation in the current quar-
ter.
What is required to be deposited?
Employees’ federal income tax withholding and share of FICA tax, along with the
employer’s share of FICA tax. Employers may also be required to deposit FUTA tax.
When must the deposits be made?
It depends on the employer’s deposit schedule. Generally, new employers and
small employers will have a monthly schedule. Under the monthly rule, each
month's taxes are required to be deposited on or before the 15th day of the follow-
ing month.
Under the semiweekly rule, the deposits are due based on a schedule which divides
the calendar week into two (semiweekly) sections.
› The deposit for a pay date of Wednesday, Thursday or Friday must be made
on or before the following Wednesday.
› The deposit for a pay date of Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday must be
made on or before the following Friday.
for additional information hoW is the money deposited?
In addition to your tax advisor, Electronically by telephone or Internet through EFTPS. Remember that EFTPS is a
you may obtain IRS assistance free, convenient, time efficient way to deposit taxes.
through the following:
› EFTPS website: www.eftps.gov Taxes reported on Forms 941 and 944 are part of your employee’s wages or sala-
ries, which are being entrusted to you to pay to the United States Treasury. It is your
› EFTPS Customer Service: 800- employees' income tax, FICA (social security and Medicare) tax (or "Trust Fund
555-4477 Taxes"), along with the portion of FICA taxes paid by you as the employer. That
› IRS web site: www.irs.gov is why the employees’ portions are called “Trust Fund Taxes.” Form 940 taxes are
› paid by you, the employer, to provide for unemployment compensation to work-
Toll free telephone: 800-829-
ers who have lost their jobs.
4933
› Schedule appointment at local You also learned there are costly penalties for not making the required federal tax
IRS office by calling toll free deposits. Good business practices dictate that paying penalties is not the best use
844-545-5640 of your valuable financial resources.
› Publications: Publication 15
(Circular E), Employer’s Tax Thank you for taking this opportunity to become better acquainted with the feder-
Guide. al tax deposit system. Best wishes for success in your business.
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Glossary
BUSINESS DAY – A business day includes all calendar days ty and Medicare tax. Form 944 is used only by small
except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays in the Dis- employers who are notified by IRS to file Form 944.
trict of Columbia.
Taxpayers may request to change to Form 941 or to Form
944 between January 1 and April 1.
DEPOSIT PERIOD – The period of time during which an
employer accumulates tax liability for paying to the United
FTD – Federal Tax Deposit
States Treasury on the next due date. Deposit periods vary
depending on which deposit schedule the employer follows
FUTA – Federal Unemployment Tax Act
(see monthly deposit schedules and semiweekly deposit
schedules).
LOOKBACK PERIOD – If you have filed only Form 941, the
lookback is a 12-month period, covering four quarters,
EIN (Employer Identification Number) – A permanent, nine-
ending June 30 of the prior year. If you filed Form 944 in
digit number IRS issues to each business to identify the busi-
either of the two previous years, or you are filing Form 944 in
ness’ tax account. A business should have only one EIN
the current year, the lookback period is the second prior cal-
and should use it when making tax deposits and filing all
endar year. The total tax liability reported during that period
required federal tax returns.
is reviewed annually to determine which Deposit Schedule
an employer is to follow for the current calendar year.
EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) – A free
system provided by the United States Treasury that allows
MONTHLY SCHEDULE DEPOSITS – The Federal Tax Depos-
for the electronic transfer of funds from taxpayer accounts
it Schedule followed by those employers whose total taxes
directly to the United States Treasury’s general account. This
were $50,000 or less during their most recent “Lookback
is a convenient, time-saving method for employers to make
Period.” Tax deposits for payrolls paid during one month are
their required Federal Tax Deposits using a telephone or
due by the 15th day of the next month.
Internet.
PUBLICATION 15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide – IRS pub-
FEDERAL TAX DEPOSIT SYSTEM – Method established for
lication which provides information to employers regarding
transferring taxes from the business to the United States Trea-
their responsibilities for federal taxes. It also contains tables
sury. Deposits can be made directly from your bank account
for income tax withholding.
to the United States Treasury by phone or Internet using
EFTPS.
SEMIWEEKLY SCHEDULE DEPOSITS – The Federal Tax Depos-
it Schedule followed by those employers whose total pay-
FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) – A law that pro-
roll taxes were more than $50,000 during their most recent
vides for social security and Medicare taxes.
“Lookback Period.” Tax deposits for payroll paid during the
deposit period from Wednesday through Friday are due
FORM 940, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment Tax
by the following Wednesday. Tax deposits for payroll paid
Return – Return reporting federal unemployment tax, due
during the deposit period from Saturday through Tuesday
January 31st after the tax year ends.
are due by the following Friday.
FORM 941, Employer’s QuArterly Federal Tax Return – Return
TRUST FUND TAX – The money an employer is required
reporting federal income tax withheld, and employer and
to withhold from an employee’s wages (withheld federal
employee shares of social security and Medicare. It is due
income tax, social security and Medicare taxes) and peri-
the last day of the month following the end of the quarter.
odically pay to the United States Treasury. Federal income
tax withheld is then credited against tax due on employ-
FORM 944, Employer's ANNUAL Federal Tax Return - ees’ individual tax returns. Social security and Medicare tax
Annual return reporting federal income tax withheld, withheld are the employees’ contribution toward old-age,
and employer and employee shares of social securi- survivors, disability, and hospital insurance benefits.
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ansWer key for praCtiCal
Glossary
exerCises
practical exercise 1, page 6
1. The correct answer is E, A and C
A. Withheld income taxes are taken out of employees’ paychecks and held
in trust to be turned over to the United States Treasury. This is only part of
the correct answer.
B. Employer’s portion of FICA (social security and Medicare) tax is not taken
out of employees’ paychecks. It is an additional cost of having employees,
but is not a trust fund tax.
C. Employee’s portion of FICA tax has been withheld from the employee’s
paycheck, and is held in trust to be turned over to the Treasury. This is only
part of the correct answer.
D. A and B are incorrect because the employer’s portion of FICA tax is not a
trust fund tax.
E. A and C are correct because withheld income taxes and the employee’s
portion of FICA tax are taken out of employee’s paychecks and held in
trust until they are turned over to the United States Treasury.
F. B and C are not correct because the employer’s portion of FICA tax is not a
trust fund tax.
2. The correct answer is D, since the trust fund deposits are actually money with-
held from the employee’s paycheck.
practical exercise 2, page 12
Quarter Total Taxes from Form 941
a 3rd Quarter 2015 + $8,000
B 4 Qth uarter 2015 + $8,500
C 1 Qst uarter 2016 + $9,000
D 2nd Quarter 2016 + $9,090
E Total Tax in lookback Period
A + B + C + D = $34,590
1. The lookback period for 2017 is the 12-month period from July 1, 2015
through June 30, 2016. Add up the taxes reported on Forms 941
for the third and fourth quarters of 2015 and the first and second quarters
of 2016.
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The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
2. The correct answer is B, the Monthly Schedule. Since the total tax in the look-
back period was less than $50,000, the Monthly Schedule would be followed.
Taxes may only be remitted with a return if the total tax for the quarter was
under $2,500. The Semiweekly Schedule would be used if the total tax during
the lookback period was more than $50,000.
3. The correct answer is B, the Monthly Schedule. Their total tax for the quarter is
more than $2,500, so the tax deposits must be made. If an employer did not
have any employees during the lookback period, their total tax for that time
was -0-. A new employer follows the Monthly Schedule for deposits unless they
meet the $100,000 rule. (See page 6.)
practical exercise 3, page 20
1. The correct answer is $3,030. The tax deposit due would be the total of the
income tax withheld of $1,500, the employees’ withheld FICA tax of $765, and
the employer’s share of FICA tax of $765.
practical exercise 4, page 22
1. True. If the tax is less than $2,500, the tax may be paid with the return or
deposited by the return due date. If there is $2,500 or more in total tax in the
current quarter and the prior quarter, the employer must follow the Monthly or
Semiweekly Schedule for deposits.
2. True. There is a four step penalty for late deposits, from 2% to 15%, depending
on how late the deposit is made.
3. False. The penalty is 10% if the deposit is 16 or more days late, but has been
deposited before 10 days after the employer receives a bill. If the deposit is
made earlier, the penalty is smaller. If the deposit is made 10 days after the
employer receives a bill for the unpaid tax, the penalty increases to 15%.
4. True. There are late filing and late payment penalties in addition to late depos-
it penalties that can be charged if returns are not timely.
5. False. If the prior quarter tax is less than $2,500, and the current quarter does
not have a tax liability that reached $100,000 or more within a deposit period,
the taxpayer may pay the tax with a timely filed tax return, or deposit by the
due date.
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| Resource Guide for Understanding federal tax deposits Publication 3151-A (Rev. 9-2017) Catalog Number 26437R Department of the Treasury internal revenue Service www.irs.gov |