Understanding Your CP276A Notice

 

What this notice is about

We didn't receive a correctly completed tax liability schedule. We normally charge a Federal Tax Deposit (FTD) penalty when this happens. We decided not to do so this time.


What you need to do

  • Review your tax liability schedule. Enter the liability amount for each payroll date and see if your payroll tax deposit liability matches the tax liability you reported on your tax form. When they don't match, we reject your tax liability schedule.
  • Correct the copy of your tax return and the schedule that you kept for your records.

You may want to


Frequently asked questions

Do I have to reply to this notice?

No, but you should check your records to see why your tax liability schedule was incorrect.

How do I know whether I should make monthly or semiweekly payroll tax deposits?

Go back and look at the total tax liability for the four quarters before the quarter ending in June of last year if you file a quarterly return. Annual return filers should go back and look at the total tax liability of the year before their previous filing year.

For either a quarterly or an annual filer, a total tax liability of $50,000 or less means you can make your federal payroll tax deposits monthly. A tax liability greater than $50,000 means you have to make semiweekly payroll tax deposits.

When are my payroll tax deposits due?

The following table shows the schedule for semiweekly payroll tax deposits:

When Then
The payroll tax liability period is Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday Make the tax deposit by the following Friday.
The payroll tax liability period is Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Make the tax deposit by the following Wednesday.
A holiday falls on a weekday after the payroll tax liability period and before or on the normal deposit day Extend the deposit due date one business day for each day of holiday.

Monthly payroll tax depositors must make their tax deposits by the fifteenth of each month. When the fifteenth falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, tax deposits are due on the next business day.

Do I have to make my payroll tax deposits electronically?

Normally, yes. However, you may send your payment in with your timely tax return when your tax liability is $2,500 or less. If you file a timely quarterly tax return, another time when you may send in your payment with your return is when:

  • Your tax liabilities never totaled $100,000 or more in a deposit period, and
  • Your tax liability in the preceding quarter was $2,500 or less.

Helpful information


Tips for next time you file

Report each tax liability (not your deposits) on the tax liability schedule.

Make sure that that the amount on your tax liability schedule matches the payroll tax amount on your tax return.

Do not list negative amounts on your tax liability schedule.

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