How do I determine if my business is an S Corp or C Corp? Need to know for filing deadline

The designation of "Domestic Profit Corporation" or "General For Profit Corporation" on your state's website doesn't actually tell you whether you're an S Corp or C Corp. That's because S Corp status is a federal tax election, not a state business entity type. By default, all corporations are considered C Corps for federal tax purposes. To become an S Corp, you must have filed Form 2553 (Election by a Small Business Corporation) with the IRS and received approval. This election changes how your business is taxed federally, but doesn't change your state entity type. The easiest way to confirm your status is to check your previous tax returns. If you filed Form 1120-S in previous years, you're an S Corp. If you filed Form 1120, you're a C Corp. You can also call the IRS Business Tax Line (800-829-4933) and they can tell you if your corporation has an S election on file.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! After hours of research and frustrated calls, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me so much time. I uploaded my incorporation docs and it immediately identified that I was actually a C Corp by default even though I thought I was an S Corp. Their system analyzed the paperwork and flagged that I never filed the Form 2553 election. They have this cool feature where they can analyze your business formation documents and tax history to determine your exact entity status - plus they explain all the implications and filing requirements. Their tax experts even helped me understand the pros/cons of each structure for my situation.

I just wanted to update everyone after trying taxr.ai that someone mentioned. I was super confused about my entity status since I operate across multiple states, and it was actually amazing how quickly they figured everything out. I uploaded my articles of incorporation and previous tax filings and they identified that I had started as a C-corp but actually had a valid S election on file that I had completely forgotten about submitting! They even found the confirmation letter in my docs that I didn't remember receiving. They also showed me the specific filing requirements for both my home state and where I'm doing business. Saved me from what would've been a major headache and potentially thousands in penalties. Really wish I'd known about this service years ago!

For anyone struggling to get through to the IRS to confirm their entity status - I had the same problem trying to get someone on the phone for THREE WEEKS. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and was honestly shocked when they actually got me connected to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes. I was able to confirm my S-corp status and ask specific questions about my filing extension that got rejected. They have this demonstration video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) that shows exactly how it works. Basically they navigate the IRS phone system for you and call you back when they've got an agent on the line. I was super stressed about potentially missing my deadline and facing penalties, so getting actual confirmation directly from the IRS was a huge relief.

I have to eat humble pie here. After posting my skeptical comment about Claimyr, I was still desperate to talk to the IRS about my filing status confusion, so I gave it a try as a last resort. To my complete surprise, I got connected to an IRS representative in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed that my company did have an S election on file from 3 years ago (which I had completely forgotten about), and explained why my extension was rejected (I'd used the wrong form). I was able to immediately file the correct extension form with their guidance. Literally saved me thousands in potential late filing penalties. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

Pro tip from someone who's been through this: check your IRS acceptance letter if you filed for S-corp status. When you submit Form 2553 and it's approved, the IRS sends you a confirmation letter. I keep mine filed with my important corporate docs. Also, if you can't find it, try looking at your first tax return. If you filed as an S-corp (Form 1120-S), you would have attached a copy of your S election acceptance. Your accountant might have these records even if you don't.

Has anyone else noticed that state websites are COMPLETELY useless for determining your federal tax status? My state business lookup also just says "Domestic Corporation" which tells me absolutely nothing about whether I'm an S or C corp. I ended up having to dig through a box of old papers to find the IRS acceptance letter from when my accountant filed the S election. If you can't find any paperwork, definitely call the IRS - it's worth the wait time to avoid filing incorrectly!

This is such a common source of confusion! I went through the exact same panic last year. Since you mentioned you incorporated last year and don't remember filing Form 2553, you're almost certainly a C Corporation by default. This means you should be filing Form 1120 (not 1120-S) and your extension should be Form 7004. The rejection of your extension was likely because you used the wrong form - if you tried to file an S-corp extension but you're actually a C-corp, that would explain the rejection. I'd recommend calling the IRS Business Tax Line immediately at 800-829-4933 to confirm your status and get guidance on refiling the correct extension. Don't panic though - if you act quickly, you can usually resolve extension issues and avoid major penalties. The key is addressing it ASAP rather than waiting. Good luck!