Staying on top of payroll tax deadlines is tough, so we created this guide to cover the key 2026 payroll tax due dates and explain how to ensure your business is compliant.
The federal government requires all employers to deduct certain taxes from their employees’ paychecks and then regularly remit those taxes to the federal government. You’re also obligated to match some of those taxes and pay for others yourself.
Calculating, withholding, and depositing these taxes — commonly known as payroll taxes or federal employment taxes — can be the most confusing aspect of processing payroll. The financial consequences can be high if you miss a deadline or fail to withhold the right amount.
We walk you through when payroll taxes are due and how to file them correctly.
Need help managing payroll taxes?Payroll taxes should always be paid on time to avoid any penalties. A full-service payroll software like Paycor can help you manage these taxes and take the hassle of tax compliance off your plate. |
| Tax Type | Schedule | When It’s Due |
|---|---|---|
| Income & FICA Taxes | Monthly | 15th of the month following payroll |
| Semi-weekly (Wed–Fri paydays) | Deposit by the following Wednesday | |
| Semi-weekly (Sat–Tue paydays) | Deposit by the following Friday | |
| Next-day rule | If $100,000+ is withheld in a day, deposit by the next business day | |
| FUTA Taxes* | Q1 (Jan 1 – Mar 31) | April 30, 2026 |
| Q2 (Apr 1 – Jun 30) | July 31, 2026 | |
| Q3 (Jul 1 – Sep 30) | October 31, 2026 | |
| Q4 (Oct 1 – Dec 31) | January 31, 2027 |
* These FUTA tax due dates apply if your FUTA tax liability is over $500 each fiscal quarter.
Whether your federal payroll taxes are due monthly or semi-weekly depends mainly on the amount of taxes you deposit during an IRS-defined “lookback period.” An accountant can help you better understand which tax payment schedule your business needs to use, as can reading through the IRS’s article on employment tax due dates.
We’ll dive right into federal tax deposit due dates, but feel free to skip ahead to learn more about what a lookback period is and how to determine which schedule to follow.
Payroll tax due dates are easier to manage with the right software, see our guide to the best payroll software for enterprises.
Also read: The Best Payroll Software for Enterprises
If your tax liability during the lookback period was $50,000 or less, you’ll deposit payroll taxes on the 15th of each month following when the taxes were withheld.
For example, the FICA and federal income taxes you withheld from every paycheck distributed in January would be due on the 15th of the next month, which would be February 15th. The FICA and income taxes you withheld in February would be due March 15th, and so on.
If this is your company’s first year in business, you’ll likely automatically default to depositing FICA and income taxes monthly. Your accountant can explain in more detail and help you determine if you need to follow this or another deposit schedule.
If your tax liability during the lookback period was over $50,000, you’ll usually deposit payroll taxes within three business days of the pay period:
This schedule is where many businesses run into trouble, especially as they grow and cross the $50,000 threshold without adjusting their processes. The shorter turnaround leaves little room for error, so it’s important to monitor your deposit schedule closely and ensure your payroll system can keep up.
If you accumulate $100,000 or more in withheld income and FICA taxes on any given day, you must deposit those taxes by the next business day, regardless of whether you’re on a monthly or semi-weekly schedule.
This rule often catches businesses off guard, especially during high-payroll periods like bonuses or large payouts. Once triggered, the deadline is immediate, leaving virtually no room for delays, so it’s critical to monitor payroll totals closely and plan ahead.
How frequently you deposit FUTA taxes — which are paid solely by the employer — follow a different schedule from income and FICA taxes. Instead of a fixed deposit cadence, your timing depends on how much FUTA tax you accumulate each quarter.
If your FUTA tax liability is $500 or less in a quarter, you can carry it forward to the next quarter rather than depositing it immediately. Once your total liability exceeds $500 — whether from the current quarter or accumulated from previous ones — you must deposit those taxes by the last day of the following month.
If your total FUTA liability never exceeds $500 by the end of the fourth quarter, the full amount is due by January 31 of the following year.
In practice, FUTA is easier to manage than other payroll taxes, but it’s often overlooked because deposits aren’t always required each quarter. Keeping track of your running balance is key to avoiding missed deadlines.
If you miss a payroll tax deadline, fail to deduct and file the correct tax amount, or submit the wrong paperwork, you’ll likely be subject to an IRS-imposed payroll tax penalty. These penalties can include:
Remember: These penalties aren’t imposed on employees but on the employer who failed to submit taxes correctly or on time.
The type of penalty you receive is based on how big your business is, whether the missed deadline was intentional or accidental, how late your tax payment was, and how much you owe, among other factors. No matter which type of penalty you face, missing a deadline can result in major financial consequences for your business.
For instance, if you submit your federal payroll taxes late, your fine is based on how long it takes you to make the payment:
If you still don’t submit the payment within 10 days of receiving a written notice from the IRS or upon receiving a demand for immediate payment, your tax penalty increases to a rate of 15%.
Tip: Avoid these penalties by setting up automatic reminders or using full-service payroll software to handle your tax submissions. |
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The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) is imposed by the federal government on employers who willfully fail to withhold or remit federal employment taxes. (The “trust fund” part of the penalty stems from the fact that employers hold their employees’ taxes in trust before remitting them to the government.)
Willfully failing to remit taxes doesn’t require you to have any malicious intent. Instead, it means that you’re aware of your tax responsibilities and, for whatever reason, failed to follow through on them.
For example, using withheld payroll taxes to cover business expenses instead of submitting them to the IRS may result in being classified as a responsible party who misused trust fund taxes.
If the IRS assesses a TFRP against your business, you generally have 60 days to appeal. To challenge the penalty, you must show either that:
If you do not respond or appeal within the required timeframe, the IRS will proceed with the penalty and require payment.
In most cases, the TFRP equals the full amount of unpaid trust fund taxes, plus applicable interest.
The IRS offers an online tax calendar that includes every employment tax deadline for any given tax year. You can subscribe to email reminders or import the calendar into applications like Microsoft Outlook to receive advance notifications before payments or forms are due.
Many businesses also rely on payroll software to stay on track. Most platforms include built-in tax calendars and automatic deadline alerts. Self-service payroll software can calculate payroll taxes and notify you of upcoming due dates, while full-service providers can calculate, file, and remit federal employment taxes on your behalf.
Some full-service payroll providers offer a tax penalty guarantee, meaning they will cover IRS penalties if they fail to file or deposit your taxes correctly and on time. However, these guarantees typically do not apply to errors caused by your business. If incorrect payroll data is entered, such as wages or employee tax forms, you remain responsible for any resulting penalties.
A lookback period is an IRS-defined timeframe used to determine how frequently you must deposit payroll taxes. Specifically, your total tax liability during this period determines whether you follow a monthly or semi-weekly deposit schedule.
Note that lookback periods apply only to federal income and FICA taxes and not FUTA taxes, which follow a separate deposit schedule.
To determine your lookback period, refer to the IRS form your business files:
Your filing type determines how the IRS calculates your lookback period and, ultimately, your required deposit schedule.
If you file IRS Form 941, your lookback period spans four fiscal quarters, starting on July 1st of one calendar year through June 30th of the next calendar year.
To determine their payroll tax deposit schedule for the 2026 tax year, employers who file Form 941 would look at their tax liability over four quarters’ worth of filed 941 forms:
Looking forward to the 2027 tax year, your lookback period would be as follows:
Once you’ve calculated your total tax liability over the lookback period, you can determine which payroll tax deposit schedule to follow:
If you file IRS Form 944, your lookback period spans January 1st through December 31st of a single calendar year — typically, the second-most-recent calendar year. For instance, those filing for the 2026 tax year would calculate their tax liability from January 1st, 2024 through December 31st, 2024.
Your tax deposit schedule will be based on your total tax liability over the lookback period:
Again, consult with your accountant for specific details on which tax forms you must file, what lookback period you should use, and what deposit schedule you should follow.
If you deposit FICA and income taxes monthly, payroll taxes are due the 15th of the month following the month you distribute paychecks. If you deposit FICA and income taxes on a semi-weekly basis, payroll tax deadlines are based on payday:
FUTA taxes are due quarterly. If your FUTA tax liability comes to $500 or more over any given quarter, deposit those taxes by the final day of the new quarter’s first month.
How often you pay payroll taxes depends on your tax liability over an IRS-defined lookback period. If you file IRS Form 941, the lookback period is the previous four quarters. If you file IRS Form 944, the lookback period is the calendar year of the second year preceding the current year (for example, look at the 2022 calendar year to determine your tax schedule for the 2024 calendar year).
If your FICA and federal income tax liability over the lookback period was under $50,000, you’ll pay payroll taxes monthly. If it was over $50,000 during the lookback period, you’ll pay taxes semi-weekly.
Paying your payroll taxes late can result in fines, interest charges, liens on your personal property, and potentially jail time. Avoid paying payroll taxes late by working closely with an accountant, downloading the IRS’s tax calendar, or choosing payroll software that calculates and remits taxes for you.
Bryan Driscoll is a non-practicing lawyer, HR consultant, and legal content writer who uniquely blends legal insight and HR expertise. Offering innovative HR solutions and engaging content, Bryan's mission is to empower businesses towards growth. His approach is straightforward, informative, and assertive.
