What is IRS Form 941 and Who Needs to File?


Here’s what you need to know about IRS Form 941 this fall.

If you’re starting your workday off with something pumpkin-spiced or wondering if the office Halloween party will need to be virtual, you should also be getting ready for the IRS tax season. Here’s all the information you need about Form 941 to meet your deadline this fall. 

What is Form 941?

IRS Form 941 is the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. This form allows employers to report how much they withhold from employees’ paychecks for income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare. 

Now, with new tax relief options for businesses during COVID-19, employers also need to report any employment tax deferments or tax credits for employee retention credit or qualified sick and family leave wages. 

Visit these blogs for more on the new lines on the updated Form 941 for COVID-19 tax credits and payroll deferment

Who Should File Form 941? 

Pretty much every employer needs to file IRS Form 941. Any business that pays employees and takes an amount out of their paychecks for tax purposes is required to report that information to the IRS. 

Who Doesn’t Have to File Form 941?

If you pay employees, there are only a few instances where you don’t need to file Form 941 every quarter. 

Seasonal employers do need to file Form 941, but only during times when they are paying employees. If there’s no one on your payroll for the summer, you can skip filing Form 941 for that quarter. 

Employers who pay household employees or farming employees have different annual IRS filing requirements to meet and do not need to Form 941 each quarter.

When is Form 941 due? 

As a quarterly form, Form 941 is due to the IRS four times a year. The deadline is the last day of the month following the end of your business’s quarter. Here are those dates:

Quarter 1-April 30, 2020

Quarter 2- July 31, 2020

Quarter 3- November 2, 2020

Quarter 4- February 1, 2021

Click here for everything you need to know to prepare for your Form 941 deadline this quarter. 

The Best Way to E-file Form 941 

If your business has employees, IRS Form 941 is a return you’ll need to file four times a year. Since it’s a part of every quarter for a healthy business, it’s important to have a good filing process in place. 

The IRS recommends e-filing Form 941. ExpressEfile gives you the tax software to file Form 941 online easily. Your business has enough to deal with without worrying about IRS penalties. When you file with us, you’ll get live, U.S.-based email support, free error checks, and instant updates on your status with the IRS. 


This quarter, upgrade your filing experience with ExpressEFile for the newest version of Form 941 and all the support you need.


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