January 2020 Business Due Dates
January 15 - Employer’s Monthly Deposit Due -
If you are an employer and the monthly deposit rules apply, January 15 is the due date for you to make your deposit of Social Security, Medicare and withheld income tax for December 2019. This is also the due date for the nonpayroll withholding deposit for December 2019 if the monthly deposit rule applies. Employment tax deposits must be made electronically (no paper coupons), except employers with a deposit liability under $2,500 for a return period may remit payments quarterly or annually with the return.
January 15 - Farmers and Fishermen -
Pay your estimated tax for 2019 using Form 1040-ES. You have until April 15 to file your 2019 income tax return (Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR). If you don't pay your estimated tax by January 15, you must file your 2019 return and pay any tax due by March 2, 2020, to avoid an estimated tax penalty.
January 31 - 1099-MISCs Due to Service Providers & the IRS -
If you are a business or rental property owner and paid $600 or more to individuals (other than employees) as nonemployee compensation during 2019, you are required to provide Form 1099 to those workers by January 31. “Nonemployee compensation” can mean payments for services performed for your business or rental by an individual who is not your employee, commissions, professional fees and materials, prizes and awards for services provided, fish purchases for cash, and payments for an oil and gas working interest. In order to avoid a penalty, copies of the 1099s also need to be sent to the IRS by January 31, 2020. The 1099s must be submitted on optically scannable (OCR) forms. This firm prepares 1099s in OCR format for submission to the IRS with the 1096 submittal form. This service provides both recipient and file copies for your records. A business or individual who is required to file 250 or more information returns (i.e., 1099s among others) must file those forms electronically. Please call this office for preparation assistance.
January 31 - Form 1098 and Other 1099s Due to Recipients -Form 1098 (Mortgage Interest Statement) and Forms 1099, other than 1099-MISC when box 7 is used, are also due to recipients by January 31. The IRS’ copy is not due until February 28, 2020, or April 1, 2020 if electronically filed. These 1099s may be reporting the following types of income:
- Dividends and other corporate distributions
- Interest
- Amounts paid in real estate transactions
- Rent
- Royalties
- Amounts paid in broker and barter exchange transactions
- Payments to attorneys
- Payments of Indian gaming profits to tribal members
- Profit-sharing distributions
- Retirement plan distributions
- Original issue discount
- Prizes and awards
- Medical and health care payments
- Debt cancellation (treated as payment to debtor)
January 31 - Employers - W-2s Due to All Employees & the Government -
EMPLOYEE’S COPY: All employers need to give copies of the W-2 form for 2019 to their employees. If an employee agreed to receive their W-2 form electronically, post it on a website and notify the employee of the posting. GOVERNMENT’S COPY: W-2 Copy A and Transmittal Form W-3, whether filed electronically or by paper, are due January 31 to the Social Security Administration.
January 31 - File Form 941 and Deposit Any Undeposited Tax -
File Form 941 for the fourth quarter of 2019. Deposit any undeposited Social Security, Medicare and withheld income tax. (If your tax liability is less than $2,500, you can pay it in full with a timely filed return.) If you deposited the tax for the quarter in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return.
January 31 - File Form 943 -
All farm employers should file Form 943 to report Social Security, Medicare taxes and withheld income tax for 2019. Deposit any undeposited tax. (If your tax liability is less than $2,500, you can pay it in full with a timely filed return.) If you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return.
January 31 - W-2G Due from Payers of Gambling Winnings -
If you paid either reportable gambling winnings or withheld income tax from gambling winnings, give the winners their copies of the W-2G form for 2019.
January 31 - File 2019 Return to Avoid Penalty for Not Making 4th Quarter Estimated Payment -
If you file your prior year’s individual income tax return and pay any tax due by this date, you need not make the 4th Quarter Estimated Tax Payment that was otherwise due earlier in January.
January 31 - File Form 940 - Federal Unemployment Tax -
File Form 940 (or 940-EZ) for 2019. If your undeposited tax is $500 or less, you can either pay it with your return or deposit it. If it is more than $500, you must deposit it. However, if you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return.
January 31 - File Form 945 -
File Form 945 to report income tax withheld for 2019 on all non-payroll items, including back-up withholding and withholding on pensions, annuities, IRAs, gambling winnings, and payments of Indian gaming profits to tribal members. Deposit any undeposited tax. (If your tax liability is less than $2,500, you can pay it in full with a timely filed return.) If you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time, you have until February 10 to file the return.
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“Bernard and his team at BR tax group are top notch. This is my first year using them after switching from a different local CPA and I didn't realize how much tax info I've been missing. His communication is great. The additional information he provides to maximize tax savings is something I didn't get from my previous CPA. Thanks Bernard”
Frequently Asked Questions
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You can prepare your taxes yourself, especially if your business is simple.
But once you have contractors, employees, business loans, equipment purchases, mileage, mixed expenses, or growing revenue, things get more complex. At that point, tax preparation becomes a way to make sure your business is reported correctly, your deductions are handled properly, and your records can support what you file.
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Send anything that shows what your business earned, spent, bought, paid, borrowed, or changed during the year.
That usually means your income records, bank statements, credit card statements, payroll reports, contractor payments, loan documents, mileage records, and prior-year tax return. Also tell me about anything unusual, such as buying a vehicle, hiring someone, opening a new location, or taking out a business loan.
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Messy books can slow things down. If expenses are in the wrong categories, transactions are missing, or personal and business spending are mixed together, your tax return may not show the right profit. We may need to clean things up before filing, so your return is accurate and easier to support.
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Possibly, if it was truly for your business and you have proof.
Still, it is much better to avoid this when you can. A separate business bank account and business credit card make everything cleaner. They save time, reduce confusion, and make your records much easier to defend if anyone ever asks questions.
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Most small business owners can deduct ordinary business expenses like software, advertising, supplies, insurance, rent, payroll, contractor payments, professional fees, travel, and some vehicle costs.
The question I usually ask is simple. Was this expense clearly for the business? If yes, we can look at how it should be handled. Personal expenses should stay personal.
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