Deadlines, penalties and IRS notices
When returns are due, what the IRS charges for being late, how to ask for relief, and how to answer the notices it sends.
26 guides in this topic
- US business tax deadlines: the full calendar4 minute readEvery federal business tax deadline for tax year 2026 returns filed in 2027: 1099s, W-2s, partnership, S corp and C corp returns, and estimates.
- Late filing and late payment penalties explained4 minute readHow IRS late filing and late payment penalties are calculated in 2026, the $525 minimum, per-partner penalties, interest, and the relief you can ask for.
- How to file back taxes for a business4 minute readHow to catch up on missed business tax returns: how many years to file, IRS transcripts, rebuilding records, payment plans and penalty relief.
- Year-end tax planning checklist for small businesses4 minute readA 2026 year-end tax planning checklist for small businesses: timing income and costs, equipment, retirement plans, S corp salary and estimates.
- Late Form 5472: the penalty and how to ask for relief3 minute readWhat happens when a foreign-owned company files Form 5472 late: the $25,000 penalty, why first-time abatement does not apply, and reasonable cause.
- Late partnership and S corp returns: how the penalty is worked out2 minute readHow the late filing penalty for Forms 1065 and 1120-S is calculated per owner per month, worked examples for 2026 and 2027, and the three routes to relief.
- First-time penalty abatement: who qualifies and how to ask2 minute readHow IRS first-time penalty abatement works: which penalties it covers, the three conditions, how to ask by phone, letter or Form 843, and its limits.
- Underpaid estimated tax: the penalty and the safe harbors2 minute readHow the estimated tax underpayment penalty works, the safe harbors that avoid it, the annualized method, waivers, and Forms 2210 and 2220.
- IRS payment plans: how to set one up2 minute readHow to set up an IRS payment plan: short-term plans, installment agreements, applying online, fees, penalties and interest, and staying on track.
- IRS notice CP2000: what it means and how to respond2 minute readWhat an IRS CP2000 notice is, why it arrives, the response deadline, how to agree or disagree, what happens if you ignore it, and common business causes.
- How to read an IRS notice and respond on time2 minute readHow to read an IRS notice or letter, check that it is genuine, find the deadline, respond correctly, and what the most common business notices mean.
- Your LLC never filed a return: what happens and how to fix it2 minute readWhat happens when an LLC never filed a tax return, by tax type: single-member, foreign-owned, partnership or corporation, and how to fix it.
- Administrative dissolution: missed state filings and how to reinstate3 minute readWhy a state dissolves an LLC, what administrative dissolution means for the business, and how to reinstate it: missing reports, arrears and the agent.
- How to pay the IRS: EFTPS, Direct Pay and paying from abroad2 minute readThe ways to pay the IRS: EFTPS, IRS Direct Pay, your online account, cards, wires and checks, which businesses must use, and paying from abroad.
- Reasonable cause: asking the IRS to remove a penalty3 minute readHow reasonable cause penalty abatement works: what the IRS accepts and rejects, how to request it, and how it fits with first-time abatement.
- Offer in compromise: settling a tax debt for less3 minute readHow an IRS offer in compromise works: the three grounds, reasonable collection potential, lump sum and periodic offers, fees and eligibility.
- IRS notice CP14: you have a balance due2 minute readWhat an IRS CP14 notice means: the first balance due notice, the 21-day deadline, paying or setting up a plan, and disputing errors.
- IRS notice CP504: what an intent to levy means2 minute readWhat an IRS CP504 notice means: intent to levy after earlier notices, state refund levies, the final notice that follows, and how to respond.
- IRS letter 5071C: verifying your identity2 minute readWhat IRS letter 5071C means: verifying your identity online or by phone, what to have ready, refund timing, and what to do if you did not file.
- IRS notice CP259: a business return is missing2 minute readWhat an IRS CP259 notice means: the IRS expects a business return it has not received, common causes, and how to file or explain why none is due.
- IRS audits: what triggers one for a small business3 minute readWhat triggers an IRS audit for a small business: 1099 mismatches, scoring, large deductions, repeated losses, cash, vehicles, and how audits work.
- How to get an IRS transcript for your business2 minute readHow to get an IRS business tax transcript: the business tax account, Form 4506-T, tax professionals, what each transcript shows and when to use it.
- How to amend a business tax return3 minute readHow to amend a business tax return: Form 1040-X, Form 1120-X, amended 1120-S, partnership adjustment requests, deadlines and state returns.
- How far back can the IRS go: the statute of limitations2 minute readThe IRS statute of limitations: 3 years to assess, 6 for large omissions, no limit for unfiled returns, international forms and 10 years to collect.
- IRS business tax account: how to set it up online2 minute readHow the IRS business tax account works in 2026: who can use it, partnerships since April 2026, what it does, setup, and limits for foreign owners.
- Choosing a tax preparer: PTIN, EA and CPA explained3 minute readEA vs CPA vs tax preparer: what each credential means, PTINs, who can represent you before the IRS, checking credentials and red flags.