When is the Form 1120 due date for my corporation with a different fiscal year?

I'm so confused about the Form 1120 filing deadline for my small business. I was looking through the instructions and found this: "Generally, a corporation must file its income tax return by the 15th day of the 4th month after the end of its tax year. A new corporation filing a short-period return generally must file by the 15th day of the 4th month after the short period ends. A corporation that has dissolved generally must file by the 15th day of the 4th month after the date it dissolved. However, a corporation with a fiscal tax year ending June 30 must file by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the end of its tax year. A corporation with a short tax year ending anytime in June will be treated as if the short year ended on June 30, and must file by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the end of its tax year. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the corporation can file on the next business day." But I'm so confused because when I google it, everything just says April 15th. My business was formed last July, so my fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. I've been putting off filing and now I'm worried I'm way past the deadline. Am I totally screwed? Is it too late to file now?

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24 comments

Sofia Ramirez

•8M

The Form 1120 deadline depends on your corporation's fiscal year end, not automatically April 15th like individual returns. Based on what you shared, your fiscal year ends June 30th, which means you're a special case! For corporations with a June 30 fiscal year end, your deadline is the 15th day of the 3rd month after your year ends (not the 4th month like most corporations). So your Form 1120 would be due by September 15th. If you formed in July last year, and your first fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, then you would have needed to file by September 15, 2024 for your first year. If you haven't filed yet, you are late and should file as soon as possible to minimize penalties and interest. Don't panic though - file as soon as you can and consider getting professional help if the return is complex. The penalties grow based on how late you file and how much tax you owe.

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Sofia Ramirez

•8M

You'll likely face some penalties since the deadline has passed, but filing ASAP will stop them from growing larger. Unfortunately, extensions must be filed before the original due date, so a retroactive extension isn't possible. The IRS does have a First-Time Penalty Abatement program that might help if you have a clean compliance history. To request this, you can call the IRS after you've filed and paid, or include a penalty abatement letter with your return explaining your reasonable cause for filing late - in this case, confusion about the deadline for your fiscal year.

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Dmitry Popov

•8M

After dealing with the exact same confusion about Form 1120 deadlines for my corporate clients, I started using taxr.ai to automatically identify all the filing deadlines based on incorporation date and fiscal year. It's been a lifesaver for keeping track of these tricky corporate deadlines! The system analyzes your incorporation documents and fiscal year, then sends alerts before deadlines approach. I had a client with a June 30 fiscal year who almost missed that special September 15 deadline until https://taxr.ai flagged it for me. The tool also breaks down the actual text from the tax code that applies to your specific situation so there's no confusion about how the deadline was calculated.

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Dmitry Popov

•8M

It works for all entity types including 1120S, 1065, 990s for non-profits, and even specialized forms. The deadline calculator handles fiscal years, short years, and even the weird exceptions like the June 30th fiscal year corporations that have different rules. It doesn't connect directly to IRS systems - it's not claiming to check your filing status with the IRS. Instead, it analyzes your incorporation documents and operating agreements to identify your correct entity classification, fiscal year, and applicable deadlines. It then explains exactly which section of the tax code applies to your situation, which was super helpful for explaining to my clients why their deadlines weren't when they expected.

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Miguel Ortiz

•8M

I was in the same boat with deadline confusion last year! I finally tried taxr.ai after seeing it recommended here, and it was seriously a game-changer for my business. I uploaded my corporate docs and it immediately flagged that I had a June 30 fiscal year which meant a September 15 deadline (not the April 15 I had incorrectly marked in my calendar). It even explained exactly why this exception applied to my situation and created a custom filing calendar with all my deadlines for the year. Saved me from what would have been my second late filing penalty! The reminder system alone was worth it.

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Zainab Khalil

•8M

If you're already past the deadline and dealing with penalties, getting through to the IRS is your next challenge. I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone to discuss penalty abatement for my late 1120. After 9 failed attempts and hours on hold, I tried https://claimyr.com to get an IRS agent on the phone. You can watch how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically wait on hold for you and call when an actual human picks up. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 40 minutes when I had previously spent HOURS getting nowhere. The agent helped me understand my penalty situation and how to properly request first-time abatement since I had a clean record before this.

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Zainab Khalil

•8M

They don't have any special connection to the IRS - they just use automated technology to wait on hold for you instead of you having to do it personally. They call the same IRS numbers anyone else would call, but their system handles all the waiting, menu navigation, and busy signals. When an actual IRS agent answers, they call you immediately and connect you. I was skeptical too until I tried it. The whole point is that you don't have to spend your entire day listening to hold music. You just go about your day, and your phone rings when there's actually an agent ready to talk. For my business call regarding the 1120 penalties, it took about 40 minutes in the queue before I got connected, but I was able to work on other things during that time instead of being stuck on hold.

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Connor Murphy

•8M

I hate admitting when I'm wrong but... I need to follow up about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it for my corporate tax issue - and it actually worked? After months of failing to reach anyone at the IRS about my late 1120, I got connected to an agent in about an hour. The agent walked me through the First-Time Penalty Abatement process for my late filing and explained exactly what documentation I needed to provide. They even noted my account showing I had attempted to resolve the issue. Just having the conversation saved me over $2,300 in penalties. I'm genuinely shocked this worked after so many failed attempts on my own.

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Yara Haddad

•8M

Just to add another perspective on Form 1120 deadlines - remember you can request an automatic 6-month extension by filing Form 7004 before your original due date. This would extend your June 30 fiscal year deadline from September 15 to March 15 of the following year. BUT! The extension only gives you more time to file the return, not more time to pay any taxes owed. You still need to estimate and pay what you owe by the original deadline to avoid penalties and interest.

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Yara Haddad

•8M

Filing the extension gives you the full 6 months - you can't request a shorter time. There's no drawback to filing the extension even if you only need an extra month. The IRS doesn't care if you file during month 1 or month 6 of your extension period. The only potential disadvantage is psychological - some people tend to procrastinate further when given more time. But from a tax and penalty perspective, there's absolutely no disadvantage to requesting the extension, and it can save you from failure-to-file penalties which are much steeper than failure-to-pay penalties.

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Andre Rousseau

•6M

This is exactly the kind of confusion that trips up so many business owners! The key thing to remember is that corporate tax deadlines are based on your fiscal year end, not the calendar year like individual returns. Since you formed in July and have a June 30 fiscal year end, you're dealing with that special exception where June 30 fiscal year corporations file by the 15th day of the 3rd month (September 15) instead of the usual 4th month rule. If your first fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, then yes, you missed the September 15, 2024 deadline. But don't panic - file immediately to stop penalties from growing. The IRS failure-to-file penalty is much steeper than failure-to-pay, so getting that return filed ASAP is your priority. For future years, consider setting up a tax calendar specifically for your fiscal year deadlines. And definitely look into filing Form 7004 for automatic extensions in future years - it gives you until March 15 to file (though you still need to pay estimated taxes by September 15). The good news is this kind of confusion about fiscal year deadlines is considered "reasonable cause" by the IRS, especially for new corporations. When you file, include a letter explaining the confusion about the deadline - it might help with penalty abatement.

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Ethan Wilson

•5M

I went through this exact same nightmare last year with my consulting firm! The fiscal year deadline confusion is so common because everything online defaults to talking about calendar year corporations. What really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking all my corporate deadlines based on my June 30 fiscal year end. Here's what I learned the hard way: - Form 1120 due September 15 (not April 15!) - Estimated payments due Oct 15, Dec 15, Mar 15, Jun 15 - Form 7004 extension (if needed) must be filed by September 15, extends deadline to March 15 - State corporate returns often have different deadlines than federal The penalty structure is brutal if you're late - failure to file is 5% per month up to 25% of unpaid taxes, while failure to pay is only 0.5% per month. So definitely file ASAP even if you can't pay the full amount right away. For your situation, I'd recommend filing immediately and including a reasonable cause letter explaining the deadline confusion. The IRS is actually pretty understanding about fiscal year deadline mix-ups for newer corporations. You might also qualify for first-time penalty abatement if you have a clean compliance history. Good luck - you're not alone in this confusion!

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Connor Gallagher

•5M

This is incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation and had no idea about the quarterly estimated payment schedule being different for fiscal year corporations. Quick question - when you say "failure to file is 5% per month up to 25%", is that 5% of the total tax owed or 5% of the unpaid balance? And does the clock start ticking immediately after September 15th or is there a grace period? I'm trying to figure out if I should rush to file an incomplete return or take a few more days to make sure everything is accurate. My accountant is swamped and I'm getting conflicting advice about whether accuracy or speed is more important at this point.

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Yara Sayegh

•5M

The failure-to-file penalty is 5% of the unpaid tax per month (or partial month), and yes, it starts immediately after the deadline with no grace period. So if you owe $10,000 in tax and file 2 months late, that's $1,000 in penalties right there. Given that harsh penalty structure, I'd lean toward filing sooner rather than later, even if the return isn't perfect. You can always file an amended return (1120X) later to correct any errors. The failure-to-file penalty stops accruing once you file, but continues growing if you delay for accuracy. That said, make sure you have the basic numbers reasonably close - gross receipts, major deductions, estimated tax liability. Don't rush so much that you make obvious errors that could trigger an audit. But between "perfect return filed late" vs "reasonably accurate return filed now," definitely go with filing now. Your accountant should understand the urgency here given the penalty structure. If they're too swamped to prioritize your late corporate return, you might need to consider filing yourself or finding someone else who can handle it immediately.

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Romeo Quest

•5M

I feel your pain on this fiscal year deadline confusion! I went through the exact same thing with my small manufacturing business a couple years ago. The September 15th deadline for June 30 fiscal year corporations is one of those weird exceptions that catches so many people off guard. Since you're already past the September 15, 2024 deadline for your first year, here's what I'd recommend based on my experience: 1. File immediately - don't wait another day. The failure-to-file penalty is 5% of unpaid tax per month and stops growing once you file, even if you still owe money. 2. Include a reasonable cause letter with your return explaining the confusion about fiscal year deadlines. I did this and the IRS accepted it as reasonable cause for a first-time filer. 3. Look into First-Time Penalty Abatement if you have a clean compliance history. You can request this after filing by calling the IRS or including a letter with your return. 4. For next year, set up proper reminders for your September 15 deadline, and consider filing Form 7004 for an automatic extension to March 15 if you need more time. The good news is that this type of deadline confusion is actually pretty common for new corporations with fiscal years, and the IRS recognizes it as reasonable cause. Don't let the stress paralyze you - just get that return filed ASAP and deal with any penalties after the fact. You've got options to reduce or eliminate them.

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Paolo Romano

•4M

This is such solid advice! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and the reasonable cause letter approach gives me hope. Quick question - when you included the reasonable cause letter with your return, did you attach it as a separate document or incorporate the explanation directly into the return itself? Also, did you end up owing any penalties after the IRS reviewed your case, or did they waive everything based on the reasonable cause? I'm trying to set realistic expectations for what might happen when I finally get my late 1120 filed. The stress of this whole situation has been keeping me up at night, so it's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing and came out okay on the other side!

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