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Form 7004 -- if you can't file Form 1120 or 1120S by today, here's a tip: just file Form 7004 by March 15 and you are granted an automatic, no-questions-asked 6-month extension of time to file return (i.e. until Sept. 15, 2004) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f7004.pdf
Form 2553 -- if you want your corporation to be treated like an "S" corporation for first time, today is deadline for telling IRS that you want to be an "S" corp beginning with calendar year 2004. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f2553.pdf
Also, If you have employees, you must make federal payroll tax payment for February 2004 by today (assuming you are on monthly deposit schedule).
APRIL:
Thursday, April 15 Ah, yes, most famous tax deadline of all.
Form 1040 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f1040.pdf
And if you are a Sole Proprietor, don't forget that you must file several business-related tax forms with your Form 1040. The most commonly used tax forms for self-employed person include:
Schedule C (to report your business income and expenses) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f1040sc.pdf
Schedule SE (for self-employment tax) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f1040sse.pdf
Form 4562 (to deduct equipment and other depreciable property) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f4562.pdf
Form 8829 (to deduct a home office) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f8829.pdf
Need more time to prepare your personal tax return? Go no further than Form 4868, which grants an automatic no-questions-asked 4-month extension to file return. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f4868.pdf
NOTE: this is only an extension of time to file return, not an extension to pay any tax due. So if you think you might owe, it may be wise to estimate what you owe and send in a payment with Form 4868; otherwise you may have to pay extra in late payment penalties and interest.
Form 1065 If your business is a Partnership or Limited Liability Company (LLC), today is also your lucky day to file annual business income tax return -- via Form 1065. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f1065.pdf
Form 8736 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f8736.pdf To get an automatic 3-month extension of time to file Form 1065, file Form 8736 on or before April 15.
As if April 15 wasn't already painful enough, it's also deadline for first quarter estimated tax payment for Year 2004:
Personal -- Form 1040-ES. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040es.pdf
Corporate -- Form 1120-W http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f1120w.pdf
And if you're an employer, yup, it's time for yet another monthly federal payroll tax deposit -- for March 2004.
Friday, April 30 Form 941 is due for 1st quarter 2004. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f941_a.pdf
Form 940 federal unemployment tax deposit is due today, if your first quarter liability exceeds $100.
Had enough? OK, OK. I'll stop here.
That should get you through first four months of year.
For more tax resources, here's a few more links:
Looking for a federal tax form? http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html
Looking for a state tax form? http:/ axes.yahoo.com/stateforms.html
IRS Website for Small Business & Self-Employed http://www.irs.gov/businesses opic/index.html
Tax calendar for entire Year 2004 http://www.taxmama.com axcalendar.html
Wayne M. Davies is author of the best-selling ebook, "Tax Reduction Toolkit: 29 Little-Known Legal Loopholes That Will Reduce Your Taxes By Thousands" (For Small Business Owners and Self-Employed People Only!) Don't file another tax return until you visit: http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/toolkit