Your Guide to April 2026 Business Tax Deadlines

April brings a wave of critical compliance deadlines for business owners. Christiansen Accounting helps California businesses navigate these exact requirements. Whether you are managing corporate returns or keeping up with payroll deposits, staying organized is half the battle. Here are the crucial April 2026 due dates you need on your radar.

April 15 Deadlines

C-Corporations

Calendar-year C-corps must file their 2025 income tax return (Form 1120) and pay any remaining tax due. Need more time? File Form 7004 for a six-month extension. Remember, an extension only delays the paperwork, not the payment. You still need to estimate and deposit your tax liability to avoid penalties. Your first 2026 estimated tax installment is also due today.

Payroll, Non-Payroll, and Fiduciary Returns

If you follow the monthly deposit rule, taxes for March payments (Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax) are due. Finally, today is the deadline to file a 2025 calendar year fiduciary return (Form 1041) for estates and trusts, or to file an extension.

Team reviewing financial documents

April 30 Deadlines

Quarterly Payroll Taxes (Form 941): Employers must file Form 941 for Q1 2026 and deposit any unpaid tax. If your liability is under $2,500, you can pay it with a timely return. Businesses that deposited everything on time get an extended deadline of May 11.

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA): If your FUTA tax owed through March exceeds $500, that deposit is due today.

Extensions and Exceptions

Whenever a deadline lands on a weekend or legal holiday, the IRS shifts it to the next business day.

Living in California, we also carefully monitor disaster-related shifts. When a geographic area is federally recognized as a disaster zone, due dates often change. Verify designated areas and updated timelines here:

Need help meeting these requirements? Contact Christiansen Accounting to keep your business compliant.

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