Publication 509 |
2001 Tax Year |
Background Information for Using the Tax Calendars
The following brief explanations may be helpful to you in using the
tax calendars.
Tax deposits.
Some taxes can be paid with the return on which they are reported.
However, in many cases, you have to deposit the tax before the due
date for filing the return. Tax deposits are figured for periods of
time that are shorter than the time period covered by the return. See
Publication 15 for the employment tax deposit rules. For the excise
tax deposit rules, see Publication 510
or the instructions for Form
720.
Deposits must be made at an authorized financial institution. A
deposit received after the due date will be considered timely if you
can establish that it was mailed in the United States at least 2 days
before the due date. However, deposits of $20,000 or more by a person
required to deposit the tax more than once a month must be received by
the due date to be timely.
Tax deposit coupons.
Each deposit must be accompanied by a federal tax deposit (FTD)
coupon, Form 8109, unless you are using the Electronic Federal Tax
Payment System (EFTPS) . The coupons have spaces for indicating the
type of tax you are depositing. You must use a separate coupon for
each type of tax. For example, if you are depositing both excise taxes
and federal unemployment taxes, you must use two coupons. You can get
the coupons you need by calling or writing the IRS.
Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).
You may have to deposit taxes using EFTPS. You must use EFTPS to
make deposits of all depository tax liabilities (including social
security, Medicare, withheld income, excise, and corporate income
taxes) you incur in 2002 if you deposited more than $200,000 in
federal depository taxes in 2000 or you had to make electronic
deposits in 2001. If you first meet the $200,000 threshold in 2001,
you must begin depositing using EFTPS in 2003. Once you meet the
$200,000 threshold, you must continue to make deposits using EFTPS in
later years.
If you must use EFTPS but fail to do so, you may be subject to a
10% penalty.
If you are not required to use EFTPS because you did not meet the
$200,000 threshold during 1998, or during any subsequent year, then
you may voluntarily make your deposits using EFTPS. However, if you
are using EFTPS voluntarily, you will not be subject to the 10%
penalty if you make a deposit using a paper coupon.
For information about EFTPS, access its web site on the Internet at
www.eftps.gov or see Publication 966, Now a Full Range
of Electronic Choices to Pay ALL Your Federal Taxes.
You can enroll in EFTPS on-line or you can call:
- 1-800-945-8400
- 1-800-555-4477
Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.
Generally, if a due date for performing any act for tax purposes
falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it is delayed until the
next business day. These calendars make this adjustment for Saturdays,
Sundays, and most legal holidays. But you must make any adjustments
for statewide legal holidays. (An exception to this rule for certain
excise taxes is noted later under the Excise Tax Calendar.)
Statewide holidays.
A statewide legal holiday delays a due date only if the IRS office
where you are required to file is located in that state.
Federal holidays.
Federal legal holidays for 2002 are listed below.
- January 1 -- New Year's Day
- January 21 -- Birthday of Martin Luther King,
Jr.
- February 18 -- Presidents' Day
- May 27 -- Memorial Day
- July 4 -- Independence Day
- September 2 -- Labor Day
- October 14 -- Columbus Day
- November 11 -- Veterans' Day
- November 28 -- Thanksgiving Day
- December 25 -- Christmas Day
Penalties.
Whenever possible, you should take action before the
listed due date. If you are late, you may have to pay a penalty as
well as interest on any overdue taxes.
Be sure to follow all the tax laws that apply to you. In addition
to civil penalties, criminal penalties may be imposed for
intentionally not paying taxes, for intentionally filing a false
return, or for not filing a required return.
Use of private delivery services.
You can use certain private delivery services designated by the IRS
to meet the "timely mailing as timely filing/paying" rule for tax
returns and payments. The most recent list of designated private
delivery services was published by the IRS in October 2001. The list
includes only the following.
- Airborne Express (Airborne): Overnight Air Express Service,
Next Afternoon Service, Second Day Service.
- DHL Worldwide Express (DHL): DHL "Same Day" Service,
DHL USA Overnight.
- Federal Express (FedEx): FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx
Standard Overnight, FedEx 2 Day.
- United Parcel Service (UPS): UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day
Air Saver, UPS 2nd Day Air, UPS 2nd Day Air A.M., UPS Worldwide
Express Plus, and UPS Worldwide Express.
The private delivery service can tell you how to get written proof
of the mailing date.
The U.S. Postal Service advises that private delivery services
cannot deliver items to P.O. boxes. You must use the U.S. Postal
Service to mail any item to an IRS P.O. box address.
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