With a slew of individual and business tax forms due to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), April is a busy month—and perhaps the most important month—for many companies.
Below, find a list of tax, payroll, and compliance deadlines and deliverables your team needs to be aware of for April.
Federal and state holidays
April 15, 2022: Emancipation Day (observed)
Washington DC celebrates Emancipation Day on April 16, but because that day is a Saturday, the district observes the holiday on the 15th.
According to federal law, any holiday celebrated in Washington DC impacts the rest of the country in the same way that federal holidays do. As a result of the holiday, the April 15, 2022 federal tax deadline has been moved to Monday, April 18, 2022 for all taxpayers (except for those in Maine and Massachusetts—learn why below).
April 18, 2022: Patriot’s Day (for Maine and Massachusetts residents)
Maine and Massachusetts celebrate Patriot’s Day on April 18, so taxpayers in those states have until April 19, 2022 to file their individual and corporate tax returns with the IRS.
Tax and payroll compliance deadlines
Payroll tax deposits (for semi-weekly depositors)
Employers must make federal payroll tax deposits to the IRS at regular intervals, but when these deposits are due depends on the business’s reported federal income tax withheld and FICA taxes (commonly known as Social Security and Medicare taxes) from the lookback period of July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
If your FICA taxes from the lookback period were over $50,000, then you’re a semi-weekly depositor. Follow this schedule for your payroll tax deposits:
| If payday for your employees is on… | Deposit employment taxes by… |
| Wednesday | The following Wednesday |
| Thursday | The following Wednesday |
| Friday | The following Wednesday |
| Saturday | The following Friday |
| Sunday | The following Friday |
| Monday | The following Friday |
| Tuesday | The following Friday |
If you didn’t meet the $50,000 threshold, follow the monthly deposit schedule instead (keep reading for more on this).
Regardless of which schedule you follow, you must make your deposits through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). Mark your calendar for the appropriate deadlines, too, or you may find your company subject to a penalty of up to 15%.
Find more information on federal payroll taxes and your payment schedule in Publication 15.
Keep in mind that, depending on where your business is located, you may be responsible for state and local payroll taxes as well. To learn more, check the requirements posted by your state and local tax authorities.
April 1, 2022
Start of Q2 for calendar fiscal year
If your company follows a calendar year cycle, then the second quarter of the year begins on April 1, 2022.
April 11, 2022
Form 4070 for tipped employees due to employers
Employees who receive over $20 in tips in a month must report this income to their employers by the 10th day of the following month using Form 4070. But because April 10 falls on a Sunday this year, employee tip income reports for the month of March are due on April 11, 2022 instead.
April 15, 2022
Payroll tax deposits (for monthly depositors)
The IRS considers you a monthly depositor if you meet one of the following qualifications:
- You are a new employer
- You reported less than $50,000 in payroll taxes during the last lookback period
Monthly depositors must deposit their March payroll taxes by April 15, 2022 through the EFTPS.
April 18, 2022
Form 1040 and income taxes due for sole proprietors and single-member LLCs (except Maine and Massachusetts residents)
Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs, who report their income through their personal tax returns, must submit Form 1040 and Schedule C to the IRS by April 18, 2022.
Although the tax deadline for personal returns is typically April 15, Washington DC observes Emancipation Day on that day, pushing the deadline to April 18 this year. Taxpayers in Massachusetts and Maine have until April 19 to file their returns.
Additionally, the IRS has extended the tax filing and payment deadline to May 16 for people and businesses located in the following FEMA-designated disaster areas:
- Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee (due to severe storms and tornadoes that began on December 10)
- Colorado (due to wildfires and straight-line winds that began on December 30)
Most states that collect income tax will also be following the April 18 deadline, but there are a few exceptions. Check with your state tax authority for more information.
Form 1120 and income taxes due for C corporations (except Maine and Massachusetts residents)
Businesses must file taxes, just like everyone else, and most C corporations that follow the calendar year are required to submit Form 1120 and the appropriate taxes to the IRS.
Because of the Emancipation Day holiday observed in Washington DC on April 15, the tax deadline has been moved to April 18, 2022 instead. C corporations in Maine and Massachusetts, on the other hand, have an additional day to file their returns.
C corps located in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Colorado have until May 16 to file and pay their taxes, due to the natural disasters that took place in those areas last December.
You can file your returns by mail or online, but the IRS recommends e-filing as it’s easier and faster to do so. Additionally, C corps with $10 million or more in assets and those that file 250 or more information returns per year (i.e. W-2s, 1099s) are required to file their taxes electronically.
Find Form 1120 e-filing guidelines and general instructions on the IRS website.
Form 4868 filing deadline
Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs requesting a six-month extension for their federal income tax returns can do so by filing Form 4868 with the IRS by April 18, 2022.
There is no need to give the IRS a reason for your extension request—just complete the form, mail or e-file it, and you’re all set.
The IRS Free File web page allows you to fill out the form online, but you can also use tax preparation software to submit your application. If you prefer to mail your request instead, the address you send it to will depend on the state you live in and whether you’re enclosing a payment. Find the complete list of addresses on the tax form document.
Once you submit the form, you’ll have until October 17, 2022 to file your personal tax return. Don’t worry about receiving a confirmation notice from the IRS—they’ll only get in touch to deny your request (and this usually only happens if you file your request after the deadline).
However, keep in mind that this form doesn’t grant an extension for paying any taxes you owe. It only postpones your filing due date. So make sure to pay an estimate of your tax bill by the April 18 deadline, or you may find yourself paying additional penalties later on.
Also note that this form only grants an extension for your federal income tax return. If you need to request an extension for your state taxes, check with your state tax agency as each state has its own application process.
Form 7004 filing deadline
C corporations can also request a six-month extension on their business tax returns by filing Form 7004 with the IRS by April 18, 2022. But just like Form 4868, filing this form correctly and on time only extends the filing deadline—you’re still required to estimate and pay any taxes owed by April 18.
You can complete the form online on the IRS website before e-filing or mailing it to the IRS. If you go the e-file route, use the IRS Modernized e-File system to submit your extension request. Alternatively, you can file the form with your tax preparation software or have your tax professional file it on your behalf.
But if you prefer to mail the form instead, find the correct address to send it to on the IRS website. Just make sure the envelope is postmarked by the due date, or your application will likely be rejected.
If you fill out the form correctly, submit it on time, and pay the correct amount of taxes by the deadline, your C corp’s tax return will be due on October 17, 2022. The IRS won’t send you a confirmation letter for your extension, either—you’ll only receive an update if your request is denied.
For more information on filing Form 7004, review the instructions provided by the IRS.
Form 1040-ES and estimated tax payment due for first quarter of 2022
Certain individuals—such as sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation shareholders—must make estimated tax payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year. Corporations that expect to pay $500 or more in taxes must do the same.
If you find yourself in either of these categories, you likely have to make quarterly estimated tax payments to cover your income taxes, plus any additional obligations, like self-employment tax or alternative minimum tax.
Those with estimated tax requirements must make the first of their four payments for the 2022 tax year by April 18, 2022 using Form 1040-ES. Corporations must submit these payments via the EFTPS, while individuals may do so through the EFTPS, by mail, by phone, or through the IRS2Go app.
Make sure to pay the correct amount in a timely manner, as you may be charged penalties for underpaying or submitting late tax payments.
To learn more about federal estimated tax payments, read Publication 505. Be sure to check with your state for state quarterly estimated tax obligations as well.
April 19, 2022
Corporate and individual tax returns and taxes due for Maine and Massachusetts residents
Because of the Emancipation Day and Patriot’s Day holiday dates this year, sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, and C corporations located in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022 to file their tax returns.
April 30, 2022
Form 720 filing deadline
Businesses that manufacture or sell certain goods and services must report and pay excise taxes to the IRS on a quarterly basis using Form 720.
Find the full list of the goods and services that incur excise taxes on the document itself. If your business deals with any of them, the first of your four payments for the 2022 tax year is due by April 30, 2022.
If you plan on mailing the tax form to the IRS, send the form, along with your check or money order payment and the Form 720-V payment voucher (found on the last page of Form 720) to the following address:
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Ogden, UT 84201-0009
But if you plan on filing electronically, you’ll want to work with a tax professional who participates in the IRS e-filing program. You can find one in your area by using the IRS tax professional locator service.
If you go the e-filing route, you’ll need to pay any excise taxes owed through the EFTPS. To ensure you avoid any late penalties, submit your payment at least one day before the deadline.
Whichever method you choose, also make sure to make a copy of your completed Form 720 for your records.
Form 941 filing deadline
Most businesses with at least one employee must file Form 941 to report any income taxes, Social Security taxes, or Medicare taxes withheld from their staff’s paychecks and pay their share of payroll taxes every quarter—even if they don’t have any employees for part of the year.
The first Form 941 for 2022 and the accompanying payroll tax payment are due on April 30, 2022. But if you’ve made the full deposit for the quarter on time, you automatically get an additional 10 business days to file the form.
You can mail the document along with your payment voucher to the IRS if you choose. Your mailing address depends on the state in which your business is located and whether your payment is enclosed, so review the tax form instructions for more information.
But if you plan on e-filing, submit the form through your tax preparation software or with the help of your tax professional. Electronic payments can be made through the EFTPS.
Income taxes due for certain states
Instead of the April 18 income tax deadline that many states are following this year, states like Delaware and Iowa have extended the deadline to April 30, 2022 instead. To find out if your
state is collecting income taxes and if there are any deadlines you need to be aware of, get in touch with your state’s tax authority.
Payroll taxes for states and locals
Unemployment insurance tax and returns for states: these are generally due at the end of the month following the end of the calendar quarter (i.e. April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31). Check with your specific state(s) unemployment insurance tax collectors to confirm when your unemployment taxes are due for the first quarter in 2022. Unemployment taxes are generally owed for all employees in all states in the US.
State income tax withholding: most states also assess income taxes that most likely must be withheld from your employees’ paychecks and then paid to the state agencies at specific intervals depending on the amount of tax you pay to the state annually. Many of these states have quarter returns that are due at the end of each calendar quarter to reconcile the payments made during the quarter. States without income tax are: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If you have employees outside of the states listed above, chances are you owe payroll taxes to these state agencies.
Local taxes: several states also impose local payroll taxes that are collected by local taxing authorities. You may owe local taxes and may need to file quarterly tax returns this month if you have employees working in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana (collected by the state), Kentucky, Maryland (collected by the state), New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
HR compliance deadlines
April 12, 2022
EEO-1 data collection reporting opens
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) collects data from private employers with more than 100 employees and federal contractors with more than 50 employees. List all employees in your EEO-1 report. This includes both part-time and full-time employees.
The EEO-1 Component 1 report identifies demographic workforce information, and is a mandatory requirement for all companies that meet these thresholds. The data is then used
for research, enforcement, and assessment purposes by government agencies and the employers themselves.
The EEOC has announced that data collection for the 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 report is scheduled for April 12, 2022. The reporting system, along with instructions and answers to frequently asked questions, are available on the EEOC website.
April 15, 2022
Form 8928 filing deadline
Companies that offer group health plans to their employees are required to self-report failures to comply with federal group health plan mandates such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
Employers report any compliance failures from 2021 using Form 8928, and if they don’t correct these failures in a timely fashion, they also use this document to report the corresponding excise taxes. Any taxes owed must also be paid to the IRS at this time.
For more information, review the form instructions from the IRS.
First quarterly contribution for defined benefit pension plans due
Companies with defined benefit pension plans must make annual contributions to these plans by a specified date to avoid paying excise taxes. If a plan doesn’t meet the funding minimum by the end of the plan year, employers must make their annual contributions in four quarterly payments instead.
Businesses with plan years that ended on July 31, 2021 and didn’t meet last year’s funding requirements must meet their minimum quarterly funding contribution by April 15, 2022. All electronic transfers must be completed and all mailed checks must be postmarked by this date to avoid penalties.
Retirement plan employer contributions due for certain businesses
The IRS allows employers—and more specifically, C corporations, single-member LLCs, and sole proprietors—to deduct contributions to employee retirement accounts for the 2021 tax year from their taxable income if they’re made by April 15, 2022.
If you’ve filed an extension for your tax return, you have until your new filing deadline or the date you file your return (whichever comes first) to make these deductible contributions.
April 30, 2022
Deadline to give summary plan descriptions to employees (for calendar year plans)
Because benefits plans can often be confusing for the average employee, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires employers to add a summary plan description (SPD), written in simpler terms, for plan participants.
Although distribution of plan documents isn’t a requirement for employers, distribution of SPDs is. These documents must be provided to all plan participants within 120 days after the adoption of a new plan, making April 30, 2022 the deadline for all employers who follow a calendar year plan.
