Filing your taxes can be confusing with trying to track the different due dates and forms. You don’t want to get it wrong and incur penalties.

This simple list covers the most common federal tax due dates so you can enter the ones that apply to you in your calendar. Make sure that you also research your state tax obligations if applicable so you don’t miss those.

Annual Tax Filing
Individuals and Families – Annual personal income tax filings (Form 1040) are due on Wednesday, April 15, 2020. The majority of people file a 1040.

Corporations (including S and C Corps) – C corporations (Form 1120) also file on April 15.

S corporations (Form 1120S) and partnerships (Form 1065) file on March 15.

Estimated Tax Deadlines For 2020
Payments for estimated taxes are due on four different quarterly dates throughout the year:

1Q — April 15
2Q — June 15
3Q — September 15
4Q — January 15 of the next year

Estates and Trusts
Estates and trusts file Form 1041. This is also due on April 15, 2020.

Extension Due Dates
Extended returns have different filing dates depending on the type of tax form being filed:

Form 1065 extended return — September 15
Form 1120S extended return — September 15
Form 1041 extended return — September 30
Form 1120 extended return — October 15
Form 1040 extended return — October 15

At some point every year, business owners begin scrambling as they try to figure out what forms they must file and when they must file them in the new tax season.

Here are some other important deadlines to keep in mind.  This is not a comprehensive list, please consult with your tax advisor for any other deadlines that may apply to you. State deadlines will vary, please check with your state for applicable deadlines that apply to your business.

Estimated Taxes
The fourth and final estimated payment for the 2018 tax year is due on Jan. 15, 2019.
Estimated tax payments for the 2019 Tax Year (IRS Form 1040ES)
April 15, 2019
June 17, 2019
Sept. 16, 2019
Jan. 15, 2020

W-2 and 1099 Reporting
January 31, 2019- Deadline for employers to mail out W-2 Forms to their employees and for businesses to furnish 1099 Forms reporting, among other things, non-employee compensation, bank interest, dividends, and distributions from a retirement plan

February 28, 2019- Deadline for businesses to mail Forms 1099 and 1096 to the IRS

Partnership returns (IRS Form 1065):
March 15, 2019
Extended deadline is Sept. 16, 2019

C-corporation income tax returns (IRS Forms 1120):
April 15, 2019 for C corporations that operate on a calendar year
Extended deadline is Oct. 15, 2019
The deadline for C corp returns is the 15th day of the fourth month following the end of the corporation’s fiscal year if the corporation is on a fiscal rather than a calendar year.

S-corporation returns (IRS Form 1120-S):
March 15, 2019 for corporations on a calendar year
Extended deadline is Sept. 15, 2019
The deadline for S corp and partnership returns is the 15th day of the third month following the end of the fiscal year if they are on a fiscal year rather than a calendar year.

Individual Tax Returns (Form 1040)
April 15, 2019- Deadline to file individual tax returns  for the year 2018 or to request an automatic extension (Form 4868). An extension provides an extra six months to file your return. Payment of the tax is still due by April 15. You can submit payment for any taxes you owe along with the extension form.

What If You Miss a Date?
The IRS says you should file your return as soon as possible if you miss a deadline. If you owe taxes, pay them as soon as possible as well. You’ll probably be hit with a moderate financial penalty, if only an extra interest charge, but the IRS should accept your money and your return and that will be the end of it unless there’s another problem.

If you owe money and don’t want to send a check to the IRS via snail mail and risk all the extra time that might entail, go to IRS Direct Pay and have the payment debited directly from your bank account. You might also want to e-file your late return if possible if you haven’t missed that deadline. Most taxpayers can do that at IRS Free File. The IRS will accept e-filed returns up until Oct. 15.

And if you can’t pay the tax you owe immediately, don’t delay. File your return anyway and immediately apply for an installment agreement. The IRS will let you pay over time as long as you make arrangements to do so.

Keeping payroll, HR and financial records indefinitely dramatically increases the risk of identity theft by hackers.

Shred sensitive documents no longer needed and wipe them off computers, printers, copiers and other equipment. Don’t rely on using File Manager because they do not insure that the wiped data cannot be hacked. Be especially careful if your business donates, sells or returns leased equipment to other organizations.

Outside vendors that manage asset disposal can help, but they also pose risks. Choose a vendor that:

· conducts background checks on employees;
· offers risk indemnification;
· tracks assets during the disposal process; and
· disposes of your equipment in an environmentally responsible way.

Minimizing unnecessary storage

There are different guidelines for how long to keep business v. personal data:

General rules
Retain records that support items shown on your tax return at least until the statute of limitations runs out — generally three years from the due date of the return or the date you filed, whichever is later. However, there’s no statute of limitations if you fail to file a tax return or file a fraudulent one. So you’ll generally want to keep copies of your returns themselves permanently, so you can show that you did file a legitimate return.

· Employee records—keep for 3 years from termination.
· Employee earnings records—keep for at least 4 years after termination. For records involving unclaimed property, such as an unclaimed paycheck, check state laws.
· Timecards—keep for at least 3 years if your business engages in interstate commerce (i.e. is subject to the FLSA); at least several years, regardless.
· Employment tax records—keep for 4 years from the latter of the date the tax was due or the date the tax was paid.
· Travel and entertainment records—keep mileage logs, receipts and other supporting documents for 4 years (IRS rules).
· Sales tax returns—keep as long as state law requires.
· Business property—keep records that substantiate costs and deductions (purchase, depreciation, amortization and depletion documents) until the asset is sold, traded in or disposed of plus 7 years, according to IRS guidelines.

When in doubt, don’t throw it out
It’s easy to accumulate a mountain of paperwork (physical or digital) from years of doing business. If you’re unsure whether you should retain a document, a good rule of thumb is to hold on to it for at least six years or, for property-related records, at least seven years after you dispose of the property. But, again, you should keep tax returns themselves permanently, and other rules or guidelines might apply in certain situations.