Significance of IRS 941 Penalties and How Your Business Can Avoid Them
The year-end is fast approaching and you surely have plenty on your plate when it comes to running your business. Holiday sales, inventory, year-end accounting…the list goes on. Before long you’ll be focused on year-end filing on Forms W-2 and 1099.
While the leaves are still falling, it is important to ensure that you are up to date on your business’s 941 payroll tax filing for the first three quarters of 2023. The deadline to file Form 941 for the third quarter just passed on October 31st, did you file for your business?
While this quarterly 941 filing obligation with the IRS can pale compared to larger action items on your ‘to-do’ list, the consequences can be unpleasant – and expensive. Here’s an overview of just how important your business’s quarterly filing is for you and your employees, and how pricey IRS Form 941 penalties can be.
Background on Form 941- Why is it important?
941 Form is the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, it is submitted by employers on a quarterly basis to report income taxes, social security tax, or Medicare tax withheld from employees’ paychecks. It also includes employer-paid portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes.
So -why is this information so important? There are a few reasons, the most significant being that the IRS is able to verify that you are reporting your tax liability for each quarter accurately and making deposits correctly. As for your employees, the IRS also needs to ensure that you are correctly withholding their portions of taxes. At the end of the year when they submit their own personal income tax returns, everything should line up from a numbers perspective.
Now that we’ve established just how important this quarterly reporting is, let’s take a closer look at how the IRS can penalize businesses that fail to meet their filing requirements.
IRS 941 Penalties – Why and How Much?
Failure to File Penalty
If you don’t submit Form 941 or file it late, you might face a penalty of up to 15% of the unpaid tax amount. The penalty accrues monthly, making timely filing crucial.
Failure to Pay Penalty
This penalty applies if you don’t pay the full amount owed. It’s typically 0.5% of the unpaid tax and increases for every month the tax remains unpaid.
Accuracy-Related Penalty
Submitting incorrect information could result in an accuracy-related penalty of 20% of the underpaid tax amount. Therefore, ensuring accurate data on Form 941 is essential.
Tips for Avoiding IRS Form 941 Penalties
How to Avoid Penalties
The good news is that penalties are avoidable. Here’s what you can do:
Timely Filing
File your Form 941 on time, even if you can’t pay your entire balance due to the IRS. Paying what you can is a show of good faith and can be helpful when penalties come into question.
Accuracy Matters
Double-check the return and your records before submitting Form 941 to the IRS. Attention to detail promotes form accuracy and reduces the risk of penalties due to filing errors.
Consult a CPA
Consider meeting with an accountant or tax professional. Their tax expertise can save you from pitfalls that could jeopardize your compliance.
Keep Up with Quarterly Form 941 Filing using TaxBandits!
Understanding IRS Form 941 penalties is crucial for businesses. Stay vigilant, file on time, and ensure accuracy to avoid unnecessary financial burdens. If penalties do arise, take proactive steps to address them promptly.
The best way to avoid the surprise of potential IRS penalties is to stay ahead of your filing requirements, and TaxBandits makes that easy to do! You can easily file 941 forms for previous quarters and the present quarter. Be sure to take advantage of our time-saving features, like bulk uploads, built-in error checks using the IRS Business Rules, and automatic tax calculations.
Even if you have no tax withholding amounts to report for the quarter, you can select the TaxBandits Zero-reporting option for a quicker and more efficient filing process!
Ready for a better 941 filing process? Create your free TaxBandits account today to get started.
Don’t forget! Now is the perfect time to stock up on Prepaid Credits and lock in your best pricing for your Form 1099, W-2, and ACA 1095 filings due in the new year!
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