When are US businesses required to file their taxes with the IRS?

Business tax filing deadlines depend on the type of business entity. Here's a basic breakdown: Sole proprietorships and single-member LLCs file on the same schedule as individuals - typically April 15th of each year (using Schedule C with their personal Form 1040). Partnerships and multi-member LLCs typically must file Form 1065 by March 15th. C Corporations must file Form 1120 by the 15th day of the fourth month after their fiscal year ends. For calendar year corporations, that's April 15th. S Corporations file Form 1120-S, which is due by March 15th for calendar-year corporations. Most businesses can request a 6-month extension if needed, but any taxes owed must still be paid by the original deadline to avoid penalties. Hope this helps with the basics!

I stumbled across this tax filing confusion myself last year when starting my small consulting business. After hours of research and several frustrating calls to different accountants, I found this AI tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that literally saved my sanity. It instantly analyzed my business structure and gave me a personalized tax calendar with all my filing deadlines. The tool also explained what forms I needed based on my specific situation which was super helpful since I had no clue about US business taxes either.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai that I mentioned being skeptical about earlier. I decided to try it anyway for my new dropshipping business and wow - it actually delivered! It broke down exactly when I needed to file my estimated quarterly taxes (which I had no idea about) and explained how my business structure affects my filing requirements. The customized calendar it created has already saved me from missing an important deadline. I'm still keeping my accountant for the complicated stuff, but this has been a great resource for getting my tax questions answered quickly without paying hourly rates.

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about business tax questions (which I strongly recommend for non-US people learning the system), good luck getting through on the phone. I spent WEEKS trying. Then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that somehow gets you through the IRS phone queue. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was connected to a real IRS agent within 45 minutes who answered all my specific questions about my import/export business tax requirements. Way better than trying to piece together info online!

I need to apologize and correct myself about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a scam, I was desperate enough to try it. Within an hour I got a call back and was speaking with an actual IRS representative who helped resolve my S-corp filing question that had been hanging over me for months. I'm still shocked it actually worked. If you're struggling with a business tax issue that needs human help from the IRS, it's worth every penny just for the time saved. I wish I'd known about this sooner instead of stressing for months!

Something important that nobody's mentioned yet - many businesses also have to file quarterly estimated tax payments! These are typically due on: - April 15 (for Jan-Mar) - June 15 (for Apr-May) - Sept 15 (for Jun-Aug) - Jan 15 (for Sep-Dec) I learned this the hard way my first year in business and got hit with penalties :

Something that confused me when I first started my business was that "filing" and "paying" are sometimes different deadlines. You might need to FILE by a certain date but PAY by another date... or sometimes pay BEFORE you file (like with estimated taxes). The IRS website has a tax calendar that might help: https://www.irs.gov/tax-calendars

As someone who moved to the US and started a business here, I can relate to your confusion! The tax system is definitely complex. One thing that really helped me was understanding that business tax obligations go beyond just annual filing - there are also monthly employment tax deposits if you have employees, and various state and local tax requirements that vary by location. I'd recommend starting with the IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center (https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed) - it has a good overview of different business types and their requirements. Also consider getting an EIN (Employer Identification Number) early even if you don't have employees yet, as many banks and vendors require it. The learning curve is steep, but once you understand the basics it becomes much more manageable. Don't hesitate to consult with a tax professional for your first year - the peace of mind is worth the cost!