TheABCs

ofFTDs

federal

deposits

Resource Guide for

tax

Understanding
2

The ABCs of FTDs

I

t’s a great feeling to have your own small business, isn’t it? You’re the boss! You 

have a lot of responsibility to your customers, your suppliers and your employees. You want your business to grow and to be successful. You constantly make 

decisions that affect your success. Each decision creates new opportunities and 

provides a new learning experience. 

Your employees are one of your business’ most valuable resources. In paying their 

salary, you have the responsibility of withholding taxes from their paychecks. This 

withholding includes your employees’ income tax and their share of FICA (social 

security and Medicare tax). You must periodically send this money to the United 

States Treasury on their behalf. This is called a “federal tax deposit.”

You may be wondering why these federal tax deposits are so important. As you just 

read, the deposits are actually part of your employees’ wages. Equally important, 

the law requires that these deposits be made periodically. You could be charged 

large penalties if you don’t make them when they are due.

This course was developed to help you better understand the rules for making 

these employment tax deposits so you can avoid these penalties. In fact, you could 

be charged additional penalties if you don’t file your employment tax returns on 

time and pay the money you owe.

Through this course, we intend to make this process easier to understand. We can’t 

guarantee you’ll never have problems again with tax deposits; that’s up to you. 

We will provide you with some tips that will save you time and money—resources 

that you can then devote to making your business even more successful.

Good luck with your business!
3

Introduction Why You Are Here .............................................................................. 4

Chapter One Trust Fund Taxes Are Important ......................................................... 5

Practical Exercise 1

Chapter Two Federal Tax Deposit Rules For Form 941 And 944 Taxes.................... 7

Who Must Make Form 941 Deposits? 

Who Must Make Form 944 Deposits?

What Taxes Must be Deposited?

When Should You Make Form 941 Tax Deposits?

When Should You Make Form 944 Tax Deposits?

What’s Your Deposit Schedule? (Lookback Period)

Summary of Steps to Determine Your Deposit Schedule

Exceptions to Deposit Schedules

When to Deposit Form 941 Employment Taxes (Flowchart)

Practical Exercise 2

Description of Deposit Schedules

 Monthly Schedule Depositor

 Semiweekly Schedule Depositor

Chapter Three Federal Tax Deposit Rules For Form 940 Taxes..................................15

Who Must Make Deposits?

How is the Amount of Deposit Determined?

When are Deposits Made?

Chapter Four Where And How To Make Federal Tax Deposits ...............................17

How are Deposits Made?

How do I Make Electronic Federal Tax Deposits?

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Service Telephone Numbers for EFTPS

Practical Exercise 3

Chapter Five Federal Tax Deposit Penalties ............................................................21

Practical Exercise 4

Chapter Six Summary............................................................................................23

Glossary..............................................................................................24

Answer Key For Practical Exercises ...................................................25

Table of Contents
4

You are here to learn about making federal tax deposits. We are here to help 

you do that. Our goal is to give you the tools you need to:

› Understand the special nature of employment taxes,

› Compute the required deposit amounts for Forms 941,944, and 940,

› Determine your deposit schedules and deposit due dates for Forms 941, 944 

and 940,

› Use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), and

› Understand that penalties for late tax deposits are expensive.

As we’ve already mentioned, we’ll be discussing the basics of federal tax deposits. We’ll first look at what makes employment taxes different from other taxes, 

and we’ll discuss the rules for depositing taxes related to Forms 941, 944 and 940. 

Then, we’ll outline the methods used to make tax deposits electronically, through 

your phone or the Internet. Finally, we’ll explain the financial consequences of not 

making correct, timely deposits.

Use this Resource Guide to get familiar with the requirements for making tax deposits. By putting this information into practice, you may avoid the resulting penalties 

and interest. That means money in your pocket. After all, isn’t that why you’re in 

business?

To illustrate how much it will cost you to make your federal tax deposits late, consider this example: Assume your monthly liability for withheld income tax, employee's share of FICA (social security and Medicare) tax, and your employer’s matching share totals $3,000 per month. Review the graph below to see how quickly the 

penalty for making late deposits increases. As you can see, using your trust fund 

taxes to finance your business can be very expensive.

Why You Are Here

$500

$400

$300

$200

$100

$0

$150

$300

$450

1 to 5 6 to 15 16 +

Days past due date

Penalty Amount

11+ days after 

first bill 

FTD Penalty on $3,000 Deposit

$60

iintroduction
5

When you pay your employees, you do not pay them all the money they 

earned. The income tax and the employees’ share of FICA (social security 

and Medicare tax) you withhold from your employees’ paychecks are the part of 

their wages you pay to the United States Treasury instead of to your employees. 

The portion of their wages you hold for transmitting to the United States Treasury 

is called “Trust Fund” taxes. Through this withholding, your employees pay their 

contributions toward their social security and Medicare benefits and the income 

taxes reported on their own tax returns. Your employees’ trust fund taxes, along 

with the employer’s share of FICA tax, are paid to the United States Treasury 

through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).

As you can see, the part of your employees’ wages that you do not give them is 

actually their money. You should deposit these amounts on time for their benefit. 

Postponing the tax deposit isn’t the same as using your own money to make a late 

payment on your phone bill or to a supplier.

Congress established large penalties for employers that delay in turning over 

employment taxes to the United States Treasury. The longer you delay paying that 

money, the more it could cost you.

Trust Fund Taxes are 1 Important chapterone

What it Means

Trust Fund Tax: Money 

withheld from an 

employee’s wages 

(income, social security and Medicare taxes) 

by an employer and 

held in trust until paid 

to the United States 

Treasury.

Employer:

“You earned gross 

wages of $300 this 

week.”

Employee:

“Here is the $30 for my income 

tax, and the $23 for my social 

security retirement and Medicare for you to send to the United 

States Treasury. Be sure to send 

your employer share of social 

security and Medicare, too!”
6

Practical Exercise One

1 Which of the following are “trust fund” taxes?

A. Withheld income taxes

B. Employer’s portion of social security and Medicare tax

C. Employee’s portion of social security and Medicare tax

D. A and B

E. A and C

F. B and C

2 The trust fund portion of tax deposits belong to:

A. Stockholders

B. Business Owner

C. Customers

D. Employees

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
7

Now that you understand federal tax deposits are important, you are ready 

to learn the rules for making the deposits. As of January 1, 2011, all deposits 

must be made electronically.

Who Must Make Form 941 Deposits?

Deposits are required if you file Form 941 with $2,500 or more in taxes per quarter. Starting in 2010, deposits are not required if the tax for the current quarter is 

$2,500 or more and the prior quarter taxes are less than $2,500, unless a tax liability within a deposit period reaches or exceeds $100,000. See Exceptions to Deposit Schedules on page ten. 

Who Must Make Form 944 Deposits?

Deposits for Form 944 filers are not required unless the tax liability for the year 

reaches $2,500 or more. Please see Instructions for Form 944.

What Taxes Must be Deposited?

› Income tax withheld from your employees

› FICA (social security and Medicare) tax withheld from your employees

› FICA (social security and Medicare) tax — the employer’s share

Important Difference

› Making deposits and filing employer returns with payments are not the same. 

Taxes are:

» Reported by filing, and

» Paid by depositing

Let’s review this payroll record to compute the amount of taxes to be deposited.

B + C + E = Total Deposit Due

600 + 306 + 306 = $1,212

Federal Tax Deposit Rules 2

for Form 941 and 944 Taxes chaptertwo

What it Means

Form 941 (Employer’s 

Quarterly Federal Tax 

Return): Return reporting 

federal income tax 

withheld, and employer 

and employee shares of 

FICA taxes. The return is 

due the last day of the 

month following the end of 

the quarter.

Form 944 (Employer's 

Annual Federal Tax 

Return): Return reporting 

federal income tax 

withheld, and employer 

and employee shares of 

FICA taxes. The return 

is due January 31 of the 

following year.

FICA: Federal Insurance 

Contributions Act, which 

provides for social security 

and Medicare benefits.

Gross Income Tax Employee's Net Employer's

Employee Wages Withheld FICA Wages FICA

XYZ Company

PAYROLL RECORD FOR JULY 2017

Column A Column B Column C Column D Column E

• Joe $ 1,000.00 $ 150.00 $ 76.50 $ 773.50 $ 76.50

• Jane 1,200.00 180.00 91.80 928.20 91.80

• John 1,800.00 270.00 137.70 1,392.30 137.70

Totals $ 4,000.00 $ 600.00 $ 306.00 $ 3,094.00 $ 306.00

In this example, the employer would deposit $1,212, the total of the income tax withheld, and both the 

employer’s and employees’ shares of FICA tax.
8

When Should You Make Form 941 Tax Deposits?

The easiest way is to make a deposit the same day you make payroll, or anytime 

no later than the deposit due date.

› If your total taxes on Form 941 for the current quarter or the preceding quarter 

are less than $2,500, and you did not incur a $100,000 next-day deposit obligation in the current quarter, you may pay the taxes with the return or deposit 

by the return due date. See Exceptions to Deposit Schedule on page 10.

› If your total taxes on Form 941 are $2,500 or more in both the prior quarter and 

the current quarter, you’ll need to determine which deposit schedule to follow.

When Should You Make Form 944 Tax Deposits?

Form 944 is for the smallest employers whose tax liability is below the minimum 

for making deposits. Deposits are not required if the annual tax is less than $2,500. 

See Instructions for Form 944 instructions if the annual liability exceeds $2,500.

What's Your Deposit Schedule?

To determine your deposit schedule, you need to review the amounts of tax reported on your earlier Forms 941 and 944. If you are filing Form 944, or if you filed Form 

944 during either of the previous two years, your "lookback period" for 2017 is the 

calendar year 2015. If you filed only Forms 941, you can determine your deposit 

schedule using the "Lookback Period" table below. 

Lookback Period for 2018 Deposits

July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017

2016 2017

Third & Fourth Quarters First & Second Quarters

7/1/16 through 9/30/16 1/1/17 through 3/31/17

10/1/16 through 12/31/16 4/1/17 through 6/30/17

If you are a new employer and had no employees during the lookback 

period, you are automatically a Monthly Schedule Depositor. Two exceptions to 

this rule are explained on page 10.

After you determine your lookback period, you need to total the taxes reported on 

Forms 941 during this period. Once you determine your total tax during the lookback period, it is easy to determine your deposit schedule:

› If total taxes are $50,000 or less, you make Monthly Schedule Deposits.

› If total taxes are greater than $50,000 you make Semiweekly Schedule Deposits.

What it Means

Lookback Period: If 

you have filed only 

Form 941, the lookback 

period is a 12-month 

period that ends June 

30 of the prior year. If 

you filed Form 944 in 

either of the two previous years, or you are 

filing Form 944 in the 

current year, the lookback period is the 

second prior calendar 

year.

The total tax liability 

reported during the 

lookback period is used 

to determine which 

deposit schedule a 

business uses during 

the current year:

$50,000 or less – follow 

the Monthly Deposit 

Schedule

More than $50,000 – 

follow the Semiweekly 

Deposit Schedule

Adjustments and 

the lookback rule. 

Determine your liability 

for the lookback period 

based on the tax 

liability as reported 

on your Forms 941 

and 944. Adjustments 

made on Form 941-X, 

Adjusted Employer's 

QUARTERLY Federal 

Tax Return or Claim 

for Refund, and Form 

944-X, Adjusted 

Employer's ANNUAL 

Federal Tax Return or 

Claim for Refund, do 

not affect the amount of 

tax liability for previous 

periods for purposes of 

the lookback rule.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
9

Let’s go over an example to help 

determine your deposit schedule 

for 2018. Since the lookback period 

is July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, we 

need to add the taxes from Forms 

941 for the third and fourth quarters of 2016 and the first and second 

quarters of 2017.

In this example, the total taxes (line E) during 

the lookback period were $35,000. Since this is 

less than $50,000, the business will be a monthly 

schedule depositor for 2018.

Chapter 2 • Federal Tax Deposit Rules for Form 941 Taxes

 Tax from Line 10,

Quarter Form 941

A Third 2016 $ 10,000

B Fourth 2016 + 9,000

C First 2017 + 5,000

D Second 2017 + 11,000

E Total Tax in lookback period = $ 35,000

A

B

C

D

$5,000

$11,000

$10,000

$9,000
10

What it means

Deposit Period: The period 

of time during which an 

employer accumulates 

tax liability for paying to 

the United States Treasury on the next due 

date. Deposit periods vary 

depending on which 

deposit schedule the 

employer must follow.

Summary of Steps to Determine Your Deposit Schedule

1. Identify lookback period.

2. Add the total taxes (line 10 of Form 941) you reported during the lookback 

period.

3. Determine your deposit schedule:

Employers are required to determine their own deposit schedule. Deposit schedules remain the same for the entire calendar year unless you meet one of 

the exceptions explained below.

Exceptions to Deposit Schedules

1. $100,000 Next- Day Deposit Rule:

» If, during any deposit period, you accumulate a tax liability of $100,000 or 

more, you must make a deposit by the next business day. See the definition 

of "business days" below. Note: This applies even when your prior quarter tax 

is less than $2,500.

» Once you meet the $100,000 next-day rule, you follow the semiweekly schedule for all deposits less than $100,000. You are a semiweekly schedule depositor for the rest of the year, and during all of the next calendar year.

2. Business Days

» If your deposit is due on a non-business day, make it by the close of the next 

business day.

» Business days include every calendar day other than Saturdays, Sundays, or 

legal holidays. The term "legal holiday" means any District of Columbia legal 

holiday.

Helpful hint: Use the easy-to-follow flow chart on the next page to help you determine your deposit schedule.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits

If the total taxes you reported 

in the lookback period were... Then you are a...

$50,000 or less

More than $50,000

Monthly Schedule Depositor

Semiweekly Schedule 

Depositor
11

Deposit taxes by the end of 

the month after the end of 

the quarter, or remit taxes 

with Form 941.

Deposit taxes by the next 

business day.

You are a Semiweekly Schedule Depositor.

Deposit taxes from 

paydays paid on:

	 • Wednesday, Thursday

and Friday by the

following Wednesday.

	 • Saturday, Sunday,

Monday and Tuesday 

by the following Friday.

Yes

Yes

Yes

When to Deposit Form 941 Employment Taxes

NO

NO

NO

NO

Yes

Yes

YYeess

YYeess

Are the total taxes for the prior quarter 

less than $2,500 and all of the current 

quarter tax liabilities within a deposit 

period less than $100,000?

If, unsure, answer NO.

Have you accumulated a 

tax liability of $100,000 or more 

within a deposit period?

Did you fall under the 

$100,000 rule at any time 

during this year or last year?

Are the total taxes for the 

lookback period 

more than $50,000?

You are a 

Monthly Schedule Depositor. 

Deposit taxes for the month 

by the 15th of the following month.

Chapter 2 • Federal Tax Deposit Rules for Form 941 Taxes
12

Practical Exercise Two

1 To determine when deposits are due for 2017, compute the tax liability in the lookback period using 

the information from the following list of Form 941 

and the chart below.

 Form 941 Quarter Tax

First 2015 $9,200

Second 2015 $8,800

Third 2015 $8,000

Fourth 2015 $8,500

First 2016 $9,000

Second 2016 $9,090

Third 2016 $9,100

Fourth 2016 $9,300

 

Quarter Total taxes from Form 941

A +

B +

C +

D +

E Total =

 

2 Based on your answer to Question 1 , which deposit 

schedule would you follow in making your FTDs?

A. Semiweekly

B. Monthly

3 Which deposit schedule would you follow in making your FTDs if this is the first quarter that the business has employees and the tax liability was $5,000 

for the quarter?

A. Semiweekly

B. Monthly

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
13

Description of Deposit Schedules

Now that you know how to determine if you are a Monthly Schedule Depositor or 

a Semiweekly Schedule Depositor, you are ready to learn the deposit requirements 

for each schedule.

1. Monthly Schedule Depositors — Deposit each month’s taxes by the 15th of the 

next month.

2. Semiweekly Schedule Depositors — Most employers will make deposits on 

Wednesdays or Fridays, depending on when you pay payroll.

“Semiweekly” depositors only have 

to make deposits twice a 

week if they pay payroll 

more than once a week. 

For example, if you paid 

hourly employees on Fridays, and salaried 

employees on the 5th 

and 20th of a month, 

you may end up with 

two different paydays in 

a week, and could have 

to make one deposit on 

Wednesday and another on Friday.

Any Week

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

 Payday

Payday Payday Payday Deposit

For wages paid Saturday, Sunday, Monday or 

Tuesday, deposit taxes by following Friday.

Any Week

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

 Payday Payday Payday

 Deposit

For wages paid Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, 

deposit taxes by following Wednesday. 

Chapter 2 • Federal Tax Deposit Rules for Form 941 Taxes

Deposits for payroll paid any 

day in July are due on (or 

before) August 15. 

AUGUST

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

JULY

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

[ [
14

Remember!

1. Deposits can be made anytime from payday through the deposit due date.

2. Deposit rules are based on when wages are paid, not earned. (For example, a 

monthly schedule depositor with wages earned in June but paid in July, must 

deposit by August 15.)

3. The terms “Monthly Schedule Depositor” and “Semiweekly Schedule Depositor”:

» DO refer to which set of rules you should follow to make deposits, but

» DON’T refer to how often you pay wages, or make deposits.

4. A Monthly Schedule Depositor deposits taxes from all paydays in a month by 

the 15th of the next month, even if they pay wages every week.

5. A Semiweekly Schedule Depositor deposits taxes by the Wednesday or Friday 

following payday, even if they pay wages only once a month.

6. Deposit Periods—period of time that undeposited taxes are accumulated for 

payment to the United States Treasury:

» Calendar month for Monthly Schedule Depositors;

» Wednesday through Friday, or Saturday through Tuesday for Semiweekly 

Schedule Depositors.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
15

I

n addition to taxes reported on Forms 941 or 944, employers are also responsible for Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) taxes which are reported on Form 

940. Only the employer pays FUTA tax—it is not deducted from employees’ wages 

and is not a trust fund tax.

Who Must Make Deposits?

An employer with more than $500 in undeposited FUTA tax at the end of any quarter. This includes any FUTA tax that was not deposited in a prior quarter during the 

calendar year. As of January 1, 2011, all deposits must be made electronically.

How is the Amount of Deposit Determined?

The tax applies only to the first $7,000 paid to each employee each year. Generally, for deposit purposes you will figure FUTA tax liability quarterly by multiplying taxable wages by .006 (.6%). This may differ if any wages subject to federal 

unemployment tax are exempt from state unemployment tax or if the state hasn't 

repaid loans from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits. Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, and the Instructions for Form 940 provide more information.

Federal Tax Deposit Rules 3 for Form 940 Taxes chapterthree

What it means

Form 940: Employer’s 

Annual Federal 

Unemployment Tax 

(FUTA) Return–Return 

reporting federal 

unemployment tax, 

due January 31st of the 

following year.
16

Let’s look at this example to determine how to compute the 

FUTA tax deposit for the first quarter of the year.

The $108 undeposited tax is $500 or less, and can be held 

over to the next quarter.

When are Deposits Made?

Your deposit schedule depends on the amount of your tax liability at the end of a 

quarter.

› You are required to make quarterly deposits when undeposited taxes reach 

more than $500. The deposit is due the last day of the month following the end 

of the quarter.

› In the example above, the $108 undeposited tax is $500 or less, and can be 

held over to the next quarter. If the annual FUTA tax is $500 or less, it can be 

paid with the Form 940 or deposited by the return due date.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits

Payroll for Quarter Ending March 31

A B C D E

 Employee Gross Wages Subject Wages subject to Federal tax FUTA Tax

Wages to State Tax (Up to $7,000 (Column D

per Employee per Year) x .006)

Joe $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 $36

Jane $8,000 $8,000 $7,000 $42

John $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $30

Total $19,000 $19,000 $18,000 $108
17

How are Deposits Made?

Deposits are made through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). 

The taxpayer is guided through the payment steps. You may make payments 

through the Internet at www.eftps.gov or by calling 1-800-555-4477.

How do I Make Electronic Federal Tax Deposits?

Use your phone or the Internet to access the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System 

(EFTPS). You can arrange for your tax deposits to be transferred directly from your 

existing bank account to the United States Treasury. EFTPS is a service provided 

free by the United States Treasury, and uses the highest security available. Any 

federal tax can be deposited electronically through EFTPS.

Do I Need to Obtain Special Equipment in Order to Use EFTPS?

No, you may use any telephone, or your personal computer with Internet access 

to input your tax deposit information. You can pay online at our website: www.

eftps.gov.

Where and How to Make 4 Federal Tax Deposits chapterfour
18

How does EFTPS Actually Work?

You make contact with EFTPS by telephone, using the toll-free phone number 

1-800-555-3453, or by visiting the EFTPS website, www.eftps.gov. This automated 

system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You should initiate your 

payment no later than 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time the day before your deposit is due. 

After establishing contact:

› Enter your EIN and a personal identification number (PIN) and Internet password.

› Enter the amount, form number, tax period and the date you want the money 

withdrawn from your account. 

› Your funds will be transferred from your account directly to the United States 

Treasury account on the date you specify, for the amount you specify. No one 

has unauthorized access to your account information.

When using EFTPS, make sure your bank account contains sufficient 

funds to cover your tax transfer.

How do I Sign Up for EFTPS?

Enroll online at www.eftps.gov, or call 1-800-555-4477 to request an enrollment 

form. After you complete the enrollment form, EFTPS will send you a Confirmation 

Packet, including a step-by-step Payment Instruction Booklet and the telephone 

numbers for accessing EFTPS.

Does the EFTPS System Have Safeguards to Prevent Unauthorized Access?

When you use EFTPS, you receive a personal identification number (PIN), that must 

be used in combination with your EIN to gain access to EFTPS. You have complete 

and exclusive control over your PIN. The IRS does not have access to your PIN. And 

if you make your payments online, you will also use an Internet Password, as an 

additional safeguard when using the Internet.

How do I Prove That I Have Made an Electronic Deposit?

With EFTPS, you will receive an immediate acknowledgment number when you 

complete the transaction. The acknowledgment number will verify you have 

timely initiated your payment. In addition, the funds transfer will appear on your 

bank statement.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits

What it means

Employer Identification 

Number (EIN): A 

permanent identification 

number assigned to each 

business to use when 

making tax deposits and 

for filing all required tax 

returns.
19

Will I be charged a Fee for Using EFTPS?

The government does not charge a fee for originating direct transactions through 

EFTPS. Most banks do not charge a fee for processing EFTPS payments. However, if 

the bank does charge a fee, it’s usually no more than the cost of processing a paper 

check. You should check with your financial institution to learn if it will charge a 

fee.

Can I Schedule Payments in Advance?

Yes. You can go online or call to schedule a tax payment up to 120 days in advance 

of the due date. On the date you indicate, the funds will be transferred to make 

your payment per your instructions.

Can I Use EFTPS for Personal Tax Payments?

Yes. EFTPS is available to all taxpayers. You would enroll separately as an individual and you could make your personal tax payments through EFTPS.

Do I have Access to My Payment History?

Yes. With EFTPS, you have access to the last 16 months of your payment history 

online or by phone. The history feature shows when payments were made, the 

amounts, the taxes paid, and the acknowledgement numbers for each payment.

What are the Advantages of Using EFTPS?

› You don’t have to write a check or mail a letter.

› You can make an arrangement in advance to make a transfer on the day 

before it is due.

› It allows you to use your time more efficiently.

Customer Service Telephone Numbers for EFTPS

This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

English 1-800-555-4477

Spanish 1-800-244-4829

TDD 1-800-733-4829 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday

Chapter 4 • Where and How to Make Federal Tax Deposits
20

Practical Exercise 3

Compute the amount of tax to be deposited for the 

month of April using the information below.

 Income Tax Employees’ 

FICA tax

 Month Wages Withheld Withheld

April 2017 $10,000 $1,500 $765.00

May 2017 $9,000 $1,400 $688.50

June 2017 $11,000 $1,600 $841.50

Total $30,000 $4,500 $2,295.00

This information would be used to make the deposit by EFTPS. You 

would simply go online or call the toll-free number, and provide 

your Employer Identification Number and PIN, and the tax form 

and tax period.
21

As you previously learned, it is important to make timely federal tax deposits because most of the money belongs to your employees. If you make these 

deposits late, you will receive a penalty. This penalty is called a “failure to deposit” penalty and is computed by multiplying the amount of tax you have underpaid by a penalty percentage rate based on how many days late you make the 

deposit.

Failure to Deposit Penalty Percentage Rates

 Percentage Rate Penalty on

Number of Days Late Underpayment $3,000

1–5 2% $60

6–15 5% $150

16 + 10% $300

More than 10 days after first IRS bill 15% $450

In addition to the above deposit penalties, you will also be subject to penalties if 

you file your Forms 940, 941, or 944 late, or don’t pay the amount due on the return:

Other Penalties

 Rate Maximum

Failure To File Penalty 5% per month of unpaid tax on 25%

the due date, reduced by the

amount of failure to pay penalty

for the same month

1/2 % per month of 

Failure To Pay Penalty unpaid tax, then 1% per month 25%

after Notice of Intent to Levy

Reminder: In addition to penalties, you also must pay interest. Interest rates are set 

quarterly. For example, the interest rate has recently varied between 3–6%. You 

will continue to pay interest until you pay all the money you owe the government.

A ten per cent avoidance penalty is assessed if you do not deposit as required. 

The penalty is charged if you send a payment to the IRS when you are required to 

deposit. The avoidance penalty is assessed at the same time as the failure to deposit penalty, not in addition to the failure to deposit penalty.

Federal Tax Deposit 5 Penalties chapterfive

At a Glance

Failure to Deposit Penalty 

Rates for Unpaid Tax:

1-5 days late: 2% 

6-15 days late: 5%

16 or more days late: 10%

More than 10 days after 

the first IRS bill: 15%
22

As a business person, you regularly have to make decisions regarding the financing of your business, especially during periods when you face a cash flow problem. You may rely on your banker for this financing. However, you may also consider using unpaid tax deposits. To do this, you wouldn’t deposit trust fund taxes 

withheld from your employees. This means you would get penalties. Let’s assume 

you need $10,000 for a year and compare three different ways of obtaining the 

needed money.

Option A: Bank financing at 10%

$ 10,000 + $ 1,000 Interest = $ 11,000

Option B: Use a credit card at 18% 

$ 10,000 + $ 1,800 Interest = $ 11,800

Option C: Use the Trust Fund Taxes

$ 10,000

+ $ 1,500 Deposit Penalty 15%

+ $ 1,200 Failure to Pay Penalty 1% per month

+ $ 500 Interest

= $ 13,200

Not only is it wrong to use trust fund monies to finance your operations, it 

can also be the most expensive alternative.

Practical Exercise 4

Please indicate whether each statement is true or false.

T F

1 Employer has $2,400 in tax liability for the quarter. As long as 

deposits are made by the return due date, there is no deposit 

penalty.

2 The penalty for late deposits varies depending on how late the 

deposit is made—the amount increases the later the deposit is 

made.

3 The penalty for late deposits is 10% of the amount of the undeposited tax, no matter when it is paid.

4 There are additional penalties on taxes that are not paid or 

returns not filed by the due date of the return.

5 Employer has $2,000 in tax liability for the second quarter. 

Employer has $52,000 liability for the third quarter. There may 

be a deposit penalty if a payment is sent with a timely filed third 

quarter tax return.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
23

You have learned the “ABCs” of FTDs — the basic rules for making federal tax 

deposits of employment taxes. In a nutshell:

WHO is Required to Make Deposits?

Employers with an employment tax liability of $2,500 or more in any calendar 

quarter and $2,500 or more in the prior quarter, or a tax liability of less than $2,500 

in the prior quarter and a $100,000 next-day deposit obligation in the current quarter.

WHAT is Required to be Deposited?

Employees’ federal income tax withholding and share of FICA tax, along with the 

employer’s share of FICA tax. Employers may also be required to deposit FUTA tax.

WHEN Must the Deposits be Made?

It depends on the employer’s deposit schedule. Generally, new employers and 

small employers will have a monthly schedule. Under the monthly rule, each 

month's taxes are required to be deposited on or before the 15th day of the following month.

Under the semiweekly rule, the deposits are due based on a schedule which divides 

the calendar week into two (semiweekly) sections.

› The deposit for a pay date of Wednesday, Thursday or Friday must be made 

on or before the following Wednesday.

› The deposit for a pay date of Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday must be 

made on or before the following Friday. 

HOW is the Money Deposited?

Electronically by telephone or Internet through EFTPS. Remember that EFTPS is a 

free, convenient, time efficient way to deposit taxes.

Taxes reported on Forms 941 and 944 are part of your employee’s wages or salaries, which are being entrusted to you to pay to the United States Treasury. It is your 

employees' income tax, FICA (social security and Medicare) tax (or "Trust Fund 

Taxes"), along with the portion of FICA taxes paid by you as the employer. That 

is why the employees’ portions are called “Trust Fund Taxes.” Form 940 taxes are 

paid by you, the employer, to provide for unemployment compensation to workers who have lost their jobs.

You also learned there are costly penalties for not making the required federal tax 

deposits. Good business practices dictate that paying penalties is not the best use 

of your valuable financial resources. 

Thank you for taking this opportunity to become better acquainted with the federal tax deposit system. Best wishes for success in your business.

chapter 6 six summary

For additional information

In addition to your tax advisor, 

you may obtain IRS assistance 

through the following:

› EFTPS website: www.eftps.gov

› EFTPS Customer Service: 800-

555-4477

› IRS web site: www.irs.gov

› Toll free telephone: 800-829-

4933

› Schedule appointment at local 

IRS office by calling toll free 

844-545-5640

› Publications: Publication 15 

(Circular E), Employer’s Tax 

Guide.
24

BUSINESS DAY – A business day includes all calendar days 

except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays in the District of Columbia.

DEPOSIT PERIOD – The period of time during which an 

employer accumulates tax liability for paying to the United 

States Treasury on the next due date. Deposit periods vary 

depending on which deposit schedule the employer follows 

(see monthly deposit schedules and semiweekly deposit 

schedules).

EIN (Employer Identification Number) – A permanent, ninedigit number IRS issues to each business to identify the business’ tax account. A business should have only one EIN 

and should use it when making tax deposits and filing all 

required federal tax returns.

EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) – A free 

system provided by the United States Treasury that allows 

for the electronic transfer of funds from taxpayer accounts 

directly to the United States Treasury’s general account. This 

is a convenient, time-saving method for employers to make 

their required Federal Tax Deposits using a telephone or 

Internet. 

FEDERAL TAX DEPOSIT SYSTEM – Method established for 

transferring taxes from the business to the United States Treasury. Deposits can be made directly from your bank account 

to the United States Treasury by phone or Internet using 

EFTPS.

FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) – A law that provides for social security and Medicare taxes.

FORM 940, Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment Tax 

Return – Return reporting federal unemployment tax, due 

January 31st after the tax year ends.

FORM 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return – Return 

reporting federal income tax withheld, and employer and 

employee shares of social security and Medicare. It is due 

the last day of the month following the end of the quarter.

FORM 944, Employer's ANNUAL Federal Tax Return - 

Annual return reporting federal income tax withheld, 

and employer and employee shares of social securiGlossary

ty and Medicare tax. Form 944 is used only by small 

employers who are notified by IRS to file Form 944. 

Taxpayers may request to change to Form 941 or to Form 

944 between January 1 and April 1.

FTD – Federal Tax Deposit

FUTA – Federal Unemployment Tax Act

LOOKBACK PERIOD – If you have filed only Form 941, the 

lookback is a 12-month period, covering four quarters, 

ending June 30 of the prior year. If you filed Form 944 in 

either of the two previous years, or you are filing Form 944 in 

the current year, the lookback period is the second prior calendar year. The total tax liability reported during that period 

is reviewed annually to determine which Deposit Schedule 

an employer is to follow for the current calendar year.

MONTHLY SCHEDULE DEPOSITS – The Federal Tax Deposit Schedule followed by those employers whose total taxes 

were $50,000 or less during their most recent “Lookback 

Period.” Tax deposits for payrolls paid during one month are 

due by the 15th day of the next month.

PUBLICATION 15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide – IRS publication which provides information to employers regarding 

their responsibilities for federal taxes. It also contains tables 

for income tax withholding.

SEMIWEEKLY SCHEDULE DEPOSITS – The Federal Tax Deposit Schedule followed by those employers whose total payroll taxes were more than $50,000 during their most recent 

“Lookback Period.” Tax deposits for payroll paid during the 

deposit period from Wednesday through Friday are due 

by the following Wednesday. Tax deposits for payroll paid 

during the deposit period from Saturday through Tuesday 

are due by the following Friday.

TRUST FUND TAX – The money an employer is required 

to withhold from an employee’s wages (withheld federal 

income tax, social security and Medicare taxes) and periodically pay to the United States Treasury. Federal income 

tax withheld is then credited against tax due on employees’ individual tax returns. Social security and Medicare tax 

withheld are the employees’ contribution toward old-age, 

survivors, disability, and hospital insurance benefits.
25

Practical Exercise 1, page 6

1. The correct answer is E, A and C

A. Withheld income taxes are taken out of employees’ paychecks and held 

in trust to be turned over to the United States Treasury. This is only part of 

the correct answer.

B. Employer’s portion of FICA (social security and Medicare) tax is not taken 

out of employees’ paychecks. It is an additional cost of having employees, 

but is not a trust fund tax.

C. Employee’s portion of FICA tax has been withheld from the employee’s 

paycheck, and is held in trust to be turned over to the Treasury. This is only 

part of the correct answer.

D. A and B are incorrect because the employer’s portion of FICA tax is not a 

trust fund tax.

E. A and C are correct because withheld income taxes and the employee’s 

portion of FICA tax are taken out of employee’s paychecks and held in 

trust until they are turned over to the United States Treasury.

F. B and C are not correct because the employer’s portion of FICA tax is not a 

trust fund tax.

2. The correct answer is D, since the trust fund deposits are actually money withheld from the employee’s paycheck.

Practical Exercise 2, page 12

Quarter Total Taxes from Form 941

A 3rd Quarter 2015 + $8,000

B 4th Quarter 2015 + $8,500

C 1st Quarter 2016 + $9,000

D 2nd Quarter 2016 + $9,090

E Total Tax in Lookback Period

A + B + C + D = $34,590

1. The lookback period for 2017 is the 12-month period from July 1, 2015 

through June 30, 2016. Add up the taxes reported on Forms 941

for the third and fourth quarters of 2015 and the first and second quarters 

of 2016.

Answer Key For Practical 

Exercises
26

2. The correct answer is B, the Monthly Schedule. Since the total tax in the lookback period was less than $50,000, the Monthly Schedule would be followed. 

Taxes may only be remitted with a return if the total tax for the quarter was 

under $2,500. The Semiweekly Schedule would be used if the total tax during 

the lookback period was more than $50,000.

3. The correct answer is B, the Monthly Schedule. Their total tax for the quarter is 

more than $2,500, so the tax deposits must be made. If an employer did not 

have any employees during the lookback period, their total tax for that time 

was -0-. A new employer follows the Monthly Schedule for deposits unless they 

meet the $100,000 rule. (See page 6.)

Practical Exercise 3, page 20

1. The correct answer is $3,030. The tax deposit due would be the total of the 

income tax withheld of $1,500, the employees’ withheld FICA tax of $765, and 

the employer’s share of FICA tax of $765.

Practical Exercise 4, page 22

1. True. If the tax is less than $2,500, the tax may be paid with the return or 

deposited by the return due date. If there is $2,500 or more in total tax in the 

current quarter and the prior quarter, the employer must follow the Monthly or 

Semiweekly Schedule for deposits.

2. True. There is a four step penalty for late deposits, from 2% to 15%, depending 

on how late the deposit is made.

3. False. The penalty is 10% if the deposit is 16 or more days late, but has been 

deposited before 10 days after the employer receives a bill. If the deposit is 

made earlier, the penalty is smaller. If the deposit is made 10 days after the 

employer receives a bill for the unpaid tax, the penalty increases to 15%.

4. True. There are late filing and late payment penalties in addition to late deposit penalties that can be charged if returns are not timely.

5. False. If the prior quarter tax is less than $2,500, and the current quarter does 

not have a tax liability that reached $100,000 or more within a deposit period, 

the taxpayer may pay the tax with a timely filed tax return, or deposit by the 

due date.

The ABCs of Federal Tax Deposits
notes
notes
notes
notes
notes
federal

deposits

tax

Resource Guide for

Understanding

Publication 3151-A (Rev. 9-2017) Catalog Number 26437R Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service www.irs.gov