For small companies, spring means one factor: tax season. Meaning there’s no higher time than the current to begin getting the mandatory paperwork so as. Whether or not you’re a one-person present or a bigger company, there are a number of key dates to concentrate on. Not solely will you keep away from a last-minute rush, you’ll additionally keep away from attainable charges or penalties and guarantee your enterprise stays in compliance.
Companies with Staff
For those who had workers or employed unbiased contractors in 2024, you might be required to offer them with the suitable federal tax varieties. For workers who earned wages in 2024, W2 varieties have to be distributed by Jan. 31, 2025.
For unbiased contractors who earned not less than $600 in 2024, it’s essential to file a federal 1099-NEC kind with the IRS and supply the shape to the employee by Jan. 31, 2025. Be aware that in years previous, employers used the 1099-MISC kind for each miscellaneous earnings and non-employee compensation, but it surely has since been changed with kind 1099-NEC.
Small companies with workers that have been required to pay federal and state unemployment taxes throughout 2024 are additionally required to report these funds. IRS Kind 940, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) Return, have to be submitted by Jan. 31, 2025. Nonetheless, employers that submitted taxes when due have till Feb. 10, 2025.
S Corp Election
If your enterprise is an LLC or a C Corp, you might be eligible to elect S Corp standing for federal earnings tax functions. There are numerous advantages of S Corp standing, together with the avoidance of double taxation and self-employment taxes. For those who’re interested by electing S Corp standing, it’s essential to act quick. Present firms with a tax 12 months that started on Jan. 1 have till March 17 to file IRS Kind 2553. Companies which have a fiscal 12 months apart from the calendar 12 months have two months and 15 days after the beginning of their fiscal 12 months to submit the shape.
Tax Deadlines
Staying on prime of looming tax deadlines is a finest follow for small enterprise house owners. Doing so helps you keep away from charges and penalties and retains your enterprise in compliance. Following is a fundamental abstract of due dates.
- Sole Proprietorship Taxes: Tuesday, April 15, 2025, with an optionally available prolonged deadline of Oct. 15, 2025.
- Partnership Taxes: The fifteenth day of the third month after the tip of the tax 12 months. For partnerships utilizing Dec. 31 as their year-end, that date is March 17, 2025, with an optionally available prolonged deadline of Sept. 15, 2025. Restricted partnerships should additionally record their income and losses on IRS Kind 1065 (U.S. Return of Partnership Revenue). Partnerships should additionally file Schedule Okay, which breaks earnings into totally different classes. Each normal and restricted companions should receive Schedule Okay-1 from their partnerships for their very own tax filings.
- LLC Taxes: By default, single-member LLCs are taxed as sole proprietorships, so their deadline is April 15, 2025. A number of-member LLCs are taxed as partnerships, so their deadline is the 15th day of the third month after the tip of their tax 12 months. Nonetheless, LLCs can elect to be taxed as a C Corp or an S Corp, wherein case these deadlines apply (see under).
- C Company Taxes: C Corps that function on a calendar 12 months foundation should file IRS Kind 1120 by April 15, 2025, with an optionally available prolonged deadline of Oct. 15, 2025. C Corps that don’t use a calendar 12 months should file by the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the tip of their fiscal 12 months.
- S Company Taxes: LLCs and C Corps can elect to be taxed as S Companies. These utilizing a calendar 12 months have till March 17, 2025 to file IRS Kind 1120-S with an optionally available prolonged deadline of Sept. 15, 2025. For S Corps not working on a calendar 12 months, the tax submitting due date is the fifteenth day of the third month following the tip of their fiscal 12 months.
What’s New for 2025
Following is an inventory of adjustments that may have an effect on small companies submitting taxes for 2024:
- The usual mileage fee for enterprise use of a car is 67 cents for the 2024 tax 12 months.
- The IRS has delayed the requirement that fee apps and on-line marketplaces concern 1099-Okay varieties to taxpayers who obtain over $600 in digital funds. That requirement can be phased in over the subsequent a number of years. For 2024, third-party settlement organizations (TPSOs) should report transactions over $5,000.
- Beforehand, companies have been allowed to deduct one hundred pc of meal bills. Now, that allowance is simply 50 %. Some meals, resembling these for occasions held for workers, clients, or most people, are totally deductible. Leisure bills (resembling live performance or theater tickets) are now not deductible.
- Cross-through enterprise house owners could deduct 20 % of certified enterprise earnings for 2024 if their whole earnings shouldn’t be greater than $191,950 (if submitting single) or $383,900 (if submitting collectively) earlier than the QBI deduction, with some exceptions.
- The 2022 tax 12 months was the final 12 months the place companies might deduct one hundred pc of certified bonus depreciation for mounted belongings.
- For tax 12 months 2024, the utmost deduction for certified bonus depreciation for mounted belongings is 60 %, with the deduction reducing by 20 % annually within the years to observe. The Part 179 depreciation restrict for 2024 is $1,220,000 for federal functions. States could have various greenback limits for Part 179 depreciation. Please notice autos have separate limits for each bonus depreciation and Part 179 depreciation.
Small Companies: Get Prepared for Tax Season Now
If you’re the proprietor of a small enterprise, it’s by no means too quickly to begin preparing for tax season. Familiarizing your self with key dates and adjustments in tax regulation forward of time can go a good distance in guaranteeing tax season goes easily. Not solely will this assist you keep away from eleventh hour stress, it additionally ensures you keep away from pointless charges and penalties.
Picture: Envato