When Are Quarterly Payroll Taxes Due?

Employers withhold and remit federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax from employee wages. They also contribute their share to Social Security and Medicare taxes. Managing these obligations ensures compliance with federal regulations. Understanding the specific requirements for reporting and paying these taxes on a quarterly basis is important for employers.

Quarterly Tax Due Dates

Federal payroll taxes are reported quarterly, with specific deadlines for filing returns. The standard due dates for these quarterly filings are:

• April 30 for the first quarter (January 1 to March 31)
• July 31 for the second quarter (April 1 to June 30)
• October 31 for the third quarter (July 1 to September 30)
• January 31 of the following year for the fourth quarter (October 1 to December 31)

If any of these due dates fall on a weekend or a legal holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day. These dates represent the deadlines for the quarterly reporting period and the submission of the quarterly tax return, but they do not necessarily dictate the frequency of actual tax deposits. Employers who have deposited all withheld income taxes on time may have an additional 10 calendar days to file their quarterly return.

Determining Your Payroll Tax Deposit Schedule

While payroll taxes are reported quarterly, most employers deposit these taxes more frequently. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assigns employers one of two main deposit schedules: monthly or semi-weekly. This determination is based on the employer’s total tax liability during a “lookback period.” For employers filing Form 941, the lookback period is a 12-month timeframe covering the four quarters from July 1 of the second preceding year to June 30 of the prior year. For example, to determine the deposit schedule for 2025, employers examine their tax liability from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

An employer is classified as a monthly depositor if their total tax liability during the lookback period was $50,000 or less. This means they will make one deposit per month for the current year. Conversely, if an employer’s total tax liability exceeded $50,000 during the lookback period, they are designated as a semi-weekly depositor. New employers are initially considered monthly depositors for the year in which they begin operations, with their lookback period tax liability considered zero. Employers must reassess their deposit status annually based on their lookback period to ensure they follow the correct schedule.

Making Timely Payroll Tax Deposits

Once an employer’s deposit schedule (monthly or semi-weekly) has been determined, adherence to deposit deadlines is important. All federal tax deposits must be made electronically through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). EFTPS is a free service provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that allows businesses to schedule tax payments.

Monthly depositors are required to deposit employment taxes for payments made during a calendar month by the 15th day of the following month. For instance, taxes on wages paid in January must be deposited by February 15.

Semi-weekly depositors follow a more frequent schedule, which depends on the day wages are paid. If wages are paid on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, the accumulated taxes must be deposited by the following Wednesday. If wages are paid on a Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, the deposit is due by the following Friday.

A special “one-day rule” applies if an employer accumulates $100,000 or more in tax liability on any single day, regardless of their regular deposit schedule. In such a scenario, the accumulated taxes must be deposited by the close of the next business day. If a monthly depositor triggers this rule, they automatically switch to a semi-weekly deposit schedule for the remainder of the current year and the entire following calendar year.

Filing Quarterly Payroll Tax Returns

Beyond making regular deposits, employers must file a quarterly payroll tax return, Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. This form reports federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax withheld from employee wages, as well as the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Form 941 also summarizes total wages paid and tips reported by employees during the quarter.

The due dates for filing Form 941 align with the quarterly tax due dates. Employers are required to file Form 941 each quarter, even if they had no taxes to report, unless they filed a final return or meet exceptions. The form can be filed electronically for efficiency and accuracy. Accurate and timely filing of Form 941 helps employers comply with their tax obligations and avoid penalties.