What's the best way to file W-2, 940 & 941 forms online for my LLC (S-Corp)?

Hey everyone, I could really use some guidance on how to electronically file my small LLC (S-Corp) tax forms. I'm behind on a few things and trying to avoid paying a fortune to an accountant. For my **940**: I've already made all the payments throughout the year, but I still need to submit the annual form to the IRS. For my **941**: I've made all quarterly payments and sent in the quarterly forms, but I'm confused - do I also need to file some kind of annual 941 form too? For my **W-2**: I completely dropped the ball and forgot to file the W-2 for myself as the LLC manager (for my 2024 salary) by the January 31 deadline. I need to get this done ASAP so I can finish both my personal and business tax returns. The accountant I talked to wanted $675 just to file these three forms! There has to be a cheaper way to submit these electronically to the IRS, right? Any help would be super appreciated!!

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18 comments

Clay blendedgen

•8M

You definitely have options that won't cost $675! Here's what you need to know: For your **940** (Federal Unemployment Tax): You can file this online through the IRS e-file system. Since you've already made the payments, you just need to complete the annual form. The deadline was January 31, so you're late but better late than never. For your **941** (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return): Good news - there is no annual 941 form. If you've filed all four quarterly forms and made all payments, you're done with 941s for the year! For your **W-2**: You can still file your W-2 through the Social Security Administration's Business Services Online (BSO) portal. You'll need to register if you haven't already. Since you missed the January 31 deadline, you might face penalties, but filing late is better than not filing at all. All of these can be done online without an accountant. There are also several tax software options like TaxAct Business, H&R Block Business, or TurboTax Business that can help you prepare and e-file these forms for much less than $675.

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Clay blendedgen

•8M

The SSA will automatically share your W-2 information with the IRS, so you don't need to do anything extra on that front. They handle that communication for you once you submit through their BSO portal. For penalties, it depends on how late you file. The penalty starts at $50 per W-2 if you file within 30 days of the deadline, increases to $110 per W-2 if you file more than 30 days late but before August 1, and goes up to $290 per W-2 if you file after August 1 or don't file at all. Since you're only filing one W-2 for yourself, you're looking at a maximum of $290 penalty. The IRS can reduce penalties if you have reasonable cause for filing late, so you might want to include a brief explanation with your filing.

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Ayla Kumar

•8M

After struggling with these exact same forms last year for my S-Corp, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a complete game-changer. It scanned all my messy tax docs, figured out exactly what I needed to file, and walked me through the entire process. I was especially confused about the 940 vs 941 requirements like you, and their system explained everything in plain English. It even flagged that I had missed my W-2 deadline and gave me step-by-step instructions for late filing to minimize penalties. Honestly saved me hours of research and probably hundreds in accountant fees.

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Ayla Kumar

•8M

It actually submits most forms electronically - that was the main reason I tried it. For the W-2s, it connects directly with the SSA's filing system, and for the 940, it e-files with the IRS. No printing or mailing required for those. It definitely handles S-Corps - that's what I have too. It has specific guidance for S-Corp owners who pay themselves a salary and need to file W-2s. For penalty avoidance, it provides template language explaining your situation that you can include with late filings, which can help reduce or eliminate penalties in many cases. It also alerts you to upcoming deadlines for the next year so you don't miss them again.

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Carmella Popescu

•8M

Just wanted to follow up. I tried taxr.ai after seeing this thread and I'm honestly impressed. I was super skeptical at first, but it really did simplify the whole process. My situation was slightly different (late 1099s rather than W-2s), but it handled everything smoothly. The interface detected I was filing late and actually provided specific language to include about reasonable cause to potentially reduce penalties. Got everything submitted electronically in about 45 minutes when I had been stressing about it for weeks. It's definitely not as expensive as hiring an accountant for these specific forms.

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Kai Santiago

•8M

If you're still struggling to reach someone at the IRS about penalty abatement for your late filings, I'd highly recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at the IRS about my late 940 and W-2 filings earlier this year, and kept hitting dead ends. Claimyr basically waits on hold with the IRS for you, then calls you when an actual human agent is on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was super skeptical, but I literally got connected to an IRS agent in about 2 hours without having to listen to hold music the entire time. The agent was able to give me specific instructions for my late filings and information about requesting penalty abatement.

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Kai Santiago

•8M

They don't have any special relationship with the IRS - they just use automated technology to sit on hold for you. Their system repeatedly calls and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets into the queue, then stays on hold until a human answers. When that happens, their system calls your phone and connects you with the IRS agent who's already on the line. There's no magic shortcut to skip the IRS queue - they just save you from having to actively wait on hold yourself. You can go about your day, and they'll call you when an agent is actually available. In my experience, they're just really good at navigating the optimal times to call and which options to select in the phone tree to get the right department.

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Carmella Popescu

•8M

Ok, I'm coming back to eat my hat. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation. I had been trying for WEEKS to talk to someone about penalty abatement for my late S-Corp filings. It actually worked exactly as described. I put in my number, answered a few questions about what department I needed, and went back to work. About 90 minutes later, I got a call connecting me directly to an IRS representative who specializes in business tax issues. I didn't have to wait on hold at all. The agent walked me through exactly what documentation I needed to submit for penalty abatement consideration for my late W-2 and 940 filings. Seriously worth it just for the time saved not listening to the IRS hold music for hours.

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Dananyl Lear

•8M

You need to have your basic numbers prepared - like total wages paid, taxes withheld, etc. They don't calculate those for you. But their interface does walk you through what goes where, and they have decent support if you get stuck. They're basically just a filing service rather than full accounting software. If you've been keeping decent records of your payroll throughout the year, you should have all the info you need. If not, you might need to go back through your records first before using their service.

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