Publication 509 - Main Content


General Tax Calendar

This tax calendar has the due dates for 2013 that most taxpayers will need. Employers and persons who pay excise taxes also should use the Employer's Tax Calendar and the Excise Tax Calendar .

Fiscal-year taxpayers.   If you file your income tax return for a fiscal year rather than the calendar year, you must change some of the dates in this calendar. These changes are described under Fiscal-Year Taxpayers at the end of this calendar.

First Quarter

The first quarter of a calendar year is made up of January, February, and March.

Second Quarter

The second quarter of a calendar year is made up of April, May, and June.

Third Quarter

The third quarter of a calendar year is made up of July, August, and September.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter of a calendar year is made up of October, November, and December.

Fiscal-Year Taxpayers

If you use a fiscal year (rather than the calendar year) as your tax year, you should change some of the dates in this calendar. Use the following general guidelines to make these changes.

The 3 months that make up each quarter of a fiscal year may be different from those of each calendar quarter, depending on when the fiscal year begins. Also see Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, earlier.

Individuals

Form 1040.    This form is due on the 15th day of the 4th month after the end of your tax year.

Estimated tax payments (Form 1040-ES).   Payments are due on the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, and 9th months of your tax year and on the 15th day of the 1st month after your tax year ends.

Partnerships

Form 1065.   This form is due on the 15th day of the 4th month after the end of the partnership's tax year. Provide each partner with a copy of Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) or a substitute Schedule K-1.

Form 1065-B (electing large partnerships).   This form is due on the 15th day of the 4th month after the end of the partnership's tax year. Provide each partner with a copy of Schedule K-1 (Form 1065-B) or a substitute Schedule K-1 by the first March 15 following the close of the partnership's tax year.

Corporations and S Corporations

Form 1120 and Form 1120S (or Form 7004).   These forms are due on the 15th day of the 3rd month after the end of the corporation's tax year. S corporations must provide each shareholder with a copy of Schedule K-1 (Form 1120S) or a substitute Schedule K-1.

Estimated tax payments.   Payments are due on the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, 9th, and 12th months of the corporation's tax year.

Form 2553.   This form is used to choose S corporation treatment. It is due no more than two months and 15 days after the beginning of the tax year the election is to take effect or at any time during the preceding tax year.

Employer's Tax Calendar

This tax calendar covers various due dates of interest to employers. Principally, it covers the following federal taxes.

  • Income tax you withhold from your employees' wages or from nonpayroll amounts you pay out.

  • Social security and Medicare taxes (FICA taxes) you withhold from your employees' wages and the social security and Medicare taxes you must pay as an employer.

  • Federal unemployment (FUTA) tax you must pay as an employer.

The calendar lists due dates for filing returns and for making deposits of these three taxes throughout the year. Use this calendar with Publication 15 (Circular E), which gives the deposit rules.

Forms you may need.   The following is a list and description of the primary employment tax forms you may need.
  1. Form 940, Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return. This form is due the last day of the first calendar month after the calendar year ends. Use it to report the FUTA tax on wages you paid.

  2. Form 941, Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return. This form is due the last day of the first calendar month after the calendar quarter ends. Use it to report social security and Medicare taxes and withheld income taxes on wages if your employees are not farm workers or household employees.

  3. Form 943, Employer's Annual Federal Tax Return for Agricultural Employees. This form is due the last day of the first calendar month after the calendar year ends. Use it to report social security and Medicare taxes and withheld income taxes on wages if your employees are farm workers.

  4. Form 944, Employer's ANNUAL Federal Tax Return. This form is due the last day of the first calendar month after the calendar year ends. Certain small employers use it instead of Form 941 to report social security and Medicare taxes and withheld income tax.

  5. Form 945, Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax. This form is due the last day of the first calendar month after the calendar year ends. Use it to report income tax withheld on all nonpayroll items. Nonpayroll items include the following.

    1. Backup withholding.

    2. Withholding on pensions, annuities, IRAs, and gambling winnings.

    3. Payments of Indian gaming profits to tribal members.

Fiscal-year taxpayers.   The dates in this calendar apply whether you use a fiscal year or the calendar year as your tax year. The only exception is the date for filing Forms 5500, Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan, and 5500-EZ, Annual Return of One-Participant (Owners and Their Spouses) Retirement Plan. These employee benefit plan forms are due by the last day of the seventh month after the plan year ends. See July 31 , later.

Extended due dates.   If you timely deposit in full the tax you are required to report on Form 940, 941, 943, 944, or 945, you have an additional 10 calendar days to file that form.

If you are subject to the semiweekly deposit rule, use Table 2 near the end of this publication for your deposit due dates. However, if you accumulate $100,000 or more of taxes on any day during a deposit period, you must deposit the tax by the next business day instead of the date shown in Table 2.

First Quarter

The first quarter of a calendar year is made up of January, February, and March.

Second Quarter

The second quarter of a calendar year is made up of April, May, and June.

Third Quarter

The third quarter of a calendar year is made up of July, August, and September.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter of a calendar year is made up of October, November, and December.

Excise Tax Calendar

This tax calendar gives the due dates for filing returns and making deposits of excise taxes. Use this calendar with Publication 510. Also see the instructions for Forms 11-C, 720, 730, and 2290 for more information. References to Form 2290 also apply to Form 2290(SP).

Forms you may need.   The following is a list and description of the excise tax forms you may need.
  1. Form 11-C, Occupational Tax and Registration Return for Wagering. Use this form to register any wagering activity and to pay an occupational tax on wagering. File Form 11-C if you are in the business of accepting wagers, including conducting a wagering pool or lottery, or are an agent of someone who accepts wagers. You must file the form before you begin accepting wagers. After that, file the form by July 1 of each year. Also, see Form 730, later.

  2. Form 720, Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return. File this form by the last day of the month following the calendar quarter. Use this form to report a wide variety of excise taxes, including:

    1. Communications and air transportation taxes,

    2. Fuel taxes,

    3. Retail tax,

    4. Ship passenger tax, and

    5. Manufacturers taxes.

  3. Form 730, Monthly Tax Return for Wagers. Use this form to pay an excise tax on wagers you accept. File this form for each month by the last day of the following month. Also, see Form 11-C, earlier.

  4. Form 2290, Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Return. Use this form to pay the federal use tax on heavy highway vehicles registered in your name. File this form by the last day of the month following the month of the vehicle's first taxable use in the tax period. The tax period begins on July 1 and ends the following June 30. You must pay the full year's tax on all vehicles you have in use during the month of July. You must also pay a partial-year tax on taxable vehicles that you put into use in a month after July. For more information, see the Instructions for Form 2290.

Fiscal-year taxpayers.   The dates in this calendar apply whether you use a fiscal year or the calendar year as your tax year.

Adjustments for Saturday, Sunday, or legal holidays.   Generally, if a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due date is delayed until the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. For excise taxes, there are two exceptions to this rule.
  • For deposits of regular method taxes, if the due date is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due date is the immediately preceding day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

  • Under the special September deposit rules, if the due date falls on a Saturday, the deposit is due on the preceding Friday. If the due date falls on a Sunday, the deposit is due on the following Monday. For more information, see the Instructions for Form 720.

The Excise Tax Calendar has been adjusted for all of these provisions.

Regular method taxes.   These are taxes, other than alternative method taxes used for communication and air transportation taxes, reported on Form 720 for which deposits are required.

First Quarter

The first quarter of a calendar year is made up of January, February, and March.

Second Quarter

The second quarter of a calendar year is made up of April, May, and June.

Third Quarter

The third quarter of a calendar year is made up of July, August, and September.

Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter of a calendar year is made up of October, November, and December.

How To Get Tax Help

You can get help with unresolved tax issues, order free publications and forms, ask tax questions, and get information from the IRS in several ways. By selecting the method that is best for you, you will have quick and easy access to tax help.

Free help with your tax return.   Free help in preparing your return is available nationwide from IRS-certified volunteers. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is designed to help low-moderate income, elderly, disabled, and limited English proficient taxpayers. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program is designed to assist taxpayers age 60 and older with their tax returns. Most VITA and TCE sites offer free electronic filing and all volunteers will let you know about credits and deductions you may be entitled to claim. Some VITA and TCE sites provide taxpayers the opportunity to prepare their return with the assistance of an IRS-certified volunteer. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, visit IRS.gov or call 1-800-906-9887 or 1-800-829-1040.

  As part of the TCE program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program. To find the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, visit AARP's website at www.aarp.org/money/taxaide or call 1-888-227-7669.

  For more information on these programs, go to IRS.gov and enter “VITA” in the search box.

Internet. You can access the IRS website at IRS.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to:

  • E-file your return. Find out about commercial tax preparation and e-file services available free to eligible taxpayers.

  • Check the status of your 2012 refund. Go to IRS.gov and click on Where’s My Refund? under Filing & Payment. Refund information will generally be available within 24 hours after the IRS receives your e-filed return, or 4 weeks after you mail your paper return. If you filed Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, with your return, wait 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically). Have your 2012 tax return available so you can provide your social security number, your filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund. Where’s My Refund does not include information about refunds for a prior-year or an amended return.

  • You can obtain a free transcript online at IRS.gov by clicking on Order a Return or Account Transcript underTools. For a transcript by phone, call 1-800-908-9946 and follow the prompts in the recorded message. You will be prompted to provide your SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), date of birth, street address and ZIP code.

  • Download forms, including talking tax forms, instructions, and publications.

  • Order IRS products.

  • Research your tax questions.

  • Search publications by topic or keyword.

  • Use the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, or other official guidance.

  • View Internal Revenue Bulletins (IRBs) published in the last few years.

  • Figure your withholding allowances using the IRS Withholding Calculator at www.irs.gov/individuals.

  • Determine if Form 6251, Alternative Minimum Tax— Individuals, must be filed by using our Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Assistant available at IRS.gov by typing Alternative Minimum Tax Assistant in the search box.

  • Sign up to receive local and national tax news by email.

  • Get information on starting and operating a small business.

Phone. Many services are available by phone.  

  • Ordering forms, instructions, and publications. Call 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) to order current-year forms, instructions, and publications, and prior-year forms and instructions (limited to 5 years). You should receive your order within 10 days.

  • Asking tax questions. Call the IRS with your tax questions at 1-800-829-4933.

  • Solving problems. You can get face-to-face help solving tax problems most business days in IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TAC). An employee can explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your account, or help you set up a payment plan. Call your local Taxpayer Assistance Center for an appointment. To find the number, go to www.irs.gov/localcontacts or look in the phone book under United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.

  • TDD/TTY equipment. If you have access to TDD/TTY equipment, call 1-800-829-4059 to ask tax questions or to order forms and publications. The TDD/TTY telephone number is for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability. These persons can also access the IRS through relay services such as the Federal Relay Service at www.gsa.gov/fedrelay.

  • TeleTax topics. Call 1-800-829-4477 to listen to pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics.

  • Refund information. To check the status of your 2012 refund, call 1-800-829-1954 or 1-800-829-4477 (automated refund information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Refund information will generally be available within 24 hours after the IRS receives your e-filed return, or 4 weeks after you mail your paper return. If you filed Form 8379 with your return, wait 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically). Have your 2012 tax return available so you can provide your social security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund. If you check the status of your refund and are not given the date it will be issued, please wait until the next week before checking back.

  • Other refund information. Where’s My Refund does not include information about refunds for a prior-year or an amended return. To check the status of a prior-year refund or amended return refund, call 1-800-829-1040.

Evaluating the quality of our telephone services. To ensure IRS representatives give accurate, courteous, and professional answers, we use several methods to evaluate the quality of our telephone services. One method is for a second IRS representative to listen in on or record random telephone calls. Another is to ask some callers to complete a short survey at the end of the call.

Walk-in. Some products and services are available on a walk-in basis. 

  • Products. You can walk in to some post offices, libraries, and IRS offices to pick up certain forms, instructions, and publications. Some IRS offices, libraries, and city and county government offices have a collection of products available to photocopy from reproducible proofs. Also, some IRS offices and libraries have the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, Internal Revenue Bulletins, and Cumulative Bulletins available for research purposes.

  • Services. You can walk in to your local TAC most business days for personal, face-to-face tax help. An employee can explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your tax account, or help you set up a payment plan. If you need to resolve a tax problem, have questions about how the tax law applies to your individual tax return, or you are more comfortable talking with someone in person, visit your local TAC where you can talk with an IRS representative face-to-face. No appointment is necessary—just walk in. Before visiting, check www.irs.gov/localcontacts for hours of operation and services provided. If you have an ongoing, complex tax account problem or a special need, such as a disability, an appointment can be requested by calling your local TAC. You can leave a message and a representative will call you back within 2 business days. All other issues will be handled without an appointment. To call your local TAC, go to  
    www.irs.gov/localcontacts or look in the phone book under United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.

Mail. You can send your order for forms, instructions, and publications to the address below. You should receive a response within 10 days after your request is received.

 
Internal Revenue Service 
1201 N. Mitsubishi Motorway 
Bloomington, IL 61705-6613

Taxpayer Advocate Service.   The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is your voice at the IRS. Its job is to ensure that every taxpayer is treated fairly, and that you know and understand your rights. TAS offers free help to guide you through the often-confusing process of resolving tax problems that you haven’t been able to solve on your own. Remember, the worst thing you can do is nothing at all.

  TAS can help if you can’t resolve your problem with the IRS and:
  • Your problem is causing financial difficulties for you, your family, or your business.

  • You face (or your business is facing) an immediate threat of adverse action.

  • You have tried repeatedly to contact the IRS but no one has responded, or the IRS has not responded to you by the date promised.

  If you qualify for help, they will do everything they can to get your problem resolved. You will be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn. TAS has offices in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Although TAS is independent within the IRS, their advocates know how to work with the IRS to get your problems resolved. And its services are always free.

  As a taxpayer, you have rights that the IRS must abide by in its dealings with you. The TAS tax toolkit at www.TaxpayerAdvocate.irs.gov can help you understand these rights.

  If you think TAS might be able to help you, call your local advocate, whose number is in your phone book and on our website at www.irs.gov/advocate. You can also call the toll-free number at 1-877-777-4778. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals who have access to TDD/TTY equipment can call 1-800-829-4059. These individuals can also access the IRS through relay services such as the Federal Relay Service at www.gsa.gov/fedrelay.

  TAS also handles large-scale or systemic problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues, please report it to us through the Systemic Advocacy Management System at www.irs.gov/advocate.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs).   Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) are independent from the IRS. Some clinics serve individuals whose income is below a certain level and who need to resolve a tax problem. These clinics provide professional representation before the IRS or in court on audits, appeals, tax collection disputes, and other issues for free or for a small fee. Some clinics can provide information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities in many different languages for individuals who speak English as a second language. For more information and to find a clinic near you, see the LITC page on www.irs.gov/advocate or IRS Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List. This publication is also available by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) or at your local IRS office.

Free tax services.   Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services, is your guide to IRS services and resources. Learn about free tax information from the IRS, including publications, services, and education and assistance programs. The publication also has an index of over 100 TeleTax topics (recorded tax information) you can listen to on the telephone. The majority of the information and services listed in this publication are available to you free of charge. If there is a fee associated with a resource or service, it is listed in the publication.

  Accessible versions of IRS published products are available on request in a variety of alternative formats for people with disabilities.

DVD for tax products. You can order Publication 1796, IRS Tax Products DVD, and obtain:

  • Current-year forms, instructions, and publications.

  • Prior-year forms, instructions, and publications.

  • Tax Map: an electronic research tool and finding aid.

  • Tax law frequently asked questions.

  • Tax Topics from the IRS telephone response system.

  • Internal Revenue Code—Title 26 of the U.S. Code.

  • Links to other Internet-based tax research materials.

  • Fill-in, print, and save features for most tax forms.

  • Internal Revenue Bulletins.

  • Toll-free and email technical support.

  • Two releases during the year. 
    – The first release will ship the beginning of January 2013. 
    – The final release will ship the beginning of March 2013.

Purchase the DVD from National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at www.irs.gov/cdorders for $30 (no handling fee) or call 1-877-233-6767 toll free to buy the DVD for $30 (plus a $6 handling fee).


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