The following is a list of important dates. Also see Pub. 509, Tax Calendars for 2001.

Note: If any date shown below falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, use the next business day. For any due date, you will meet the "file" or "furnish" requirement if the form is properly addressed and mailed First-Class or sent by an IRS designated private delivery service on or before the due date. See Private Delivery Services on page 5 for more information on IRS designated private delivery services.

By January 31

Furnish Forms 1099 and W-2. Furnish each employee a completed Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. Furnish each recipient a completed Form 1099 (e.g., Form 1099-R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc., and Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income).

File Form 940 or 940-EZ. File Form 940 or Form 940-EZ, Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return. However, if you deposited all the FUTA tax when due, you may file Form 940 or 940-EZ by February 12.

File Form 945. File Form 945, Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax, to report any nonpayroll income tax withheld in 2000. See Nonpayroll Income Tax Withholding on page 4 for more information.

By February 15

Request new Form W-4 from exempt employees. Ask for a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, from each employee who claimed exemption from withholding last year.

On February 16

Exempt Forms W-4 expire. Any Form W-4 previously given to you claiming exemption from withholding has expired. Begin withholding for any employee who previously claimed exemption from withholding but has not given you a new Form W-4 for the current year. If the employee does not give you a new Form W-4, withhold tax as if he or she is single, with zero withholding allowances. (See section 9.)

By February 28

File Forms 1099 and 1096. File Copy A of all Forms 1099 with Form 1096, Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns, with the IRS. For electronically filed returns, see By March 31 below.

File Forms W-2 and W-3. File Copy A of all Forms W-2 with Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, with the Social Security Administration (SSA). For electronically filed returns, see By March 31 below.

File Form 8027. File Form 8027, Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, with the Internal Revenue Service. (See section 6.) For electronically filed returns, see By March 31 below.

By March 31

File electronic Forms 1099, W-2, and 8027. File Copy A of electronic (not magnetic media) Forms 1099 with the IRS and W-2 with the Social Security Administration. File electronic (not magnetic media) Form 8027 with the IRS.

By April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31

Deposit FUTA taxes. Deposit Federal unemployment (FUTA) tax due if it is more than $100.

File Form 941. File Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, and deposit any undeposited income, social security, and Medicare taxes. You may pay these taxes with Form 941 if your total tax liability for the quarter is less than $2,500. If you deposited all taxes when due, you have 10 additional days from the due dates above to file the return.

Before December 1

New Forms W-4. Remind employees to submit a new Form W-4 if their withholding allowances have changed or will change for the next year.

On December 31

Form W-5 expires. Form W-5, Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate, expires. Eligible employees who want to receive advance payments of the earned income credit next year must give you a new Form W-5.

Employer Responsibilities

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