Now's the Perfect Time to Get an Online Signature PIN

As you’re probably aware, your second quarter 941 Forms were due yesterday (July 31st). That means there’s no time like the present to apply for an Online Signature PIN for your third quarter filings coming up in a few months!

3rd Quarter Filing
As a quarterly return, Form 941 is required to be filed four times a year. Each time you file, you’re reporting important tax information to the IRS regarding your business’s finances for the previous fiscal quarter. This information includes the federal, social security, and Medicare taxes withheld from employee paychecks (as required by the IRS) as well as your tax liabilities as an employer for the quarter.

For the third quarter of 2017, which lasts from July 2017 to September 2017, Form 941 must be submitted to the IRS with any tax payments by October 31, 2017.

Getting An Online Signature PIN
Applying for an Online Signature PIN is not a difficult process, but it can be a time consuming one. You see, when you e-file certain IRS returns, like Form 941, you’re required to e-sign the form to verify you are (or the authorized person is) actually filing the form. You can do this by completing an e-signing Form 8453-EMP or by using a 10-digit PIN assigned to you by the IRS for filing purposes.

Getting a verified, activated Online Signature PIN can take up to 40 days, even when applying online. That’s why it’s best to go ahead and apply now, that way you have plenty of time to get set up with your PIN before the third quarter filing deadline. And with ExpressIRSForms/TaxBandits, it’s never been easier to apply:

1. Log into your account. (You can log in here using your ExpressIRSForms info or go straight to TaxBandits.com).
2. Select the Start New Form button.
3. Check the 94x Online Signature PIN Request option in the 94x Forms section.
4. Enter your employer details manually or by importing an employer from your Address Book.
5. Enter the identifying information (name, title, SSN, email, and phone number) of the Signing Authority to be associated with your Online Signature PIN.
6. Enter your credit card details.
    NOTE: Your credit card will NOT be charged and the information associated with it will NOT be saved in our system. This is simply to verify your identity, which we’re required by the IRS to do before submitting your Online Signature PIN request.
7. Click the orange button to Send PIN Request.

Simple as that!

What Happens Next
After you submit your application for an Online Signature PIN through TaxBandits, the IRS handles the rest. They’ll receive and review your application and, if approved, send you a letter with your 10-digit Online Signature PIN. You’ll need to confirm that the information associated with the PIN in their letter matches your application. Included in the IRS’s letter will be a letter for you to sign, authorizing that everything is correct, and send back to the IRS within 10 days of receiving your PIN. Once the IRS gets this back, they’ll activate your PIN for you to use for future e-filings!

Oh, and did we mention all this is absolutely FREE?!

If you have any questions about applying for your Online Signature PIN, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. We also offer 24/7 email assistance at support@TaxBandits.com!

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Second Quarter 941 Forms Are Due Soon!

Wow-wee where did July go?!

Seems like we were just filing first quarter taxes and now it’s almost time to have second quarter 941 Forms in! So, are you ready?

About Form 941
Many of you are already very familiar with Form 941, but it’s always good to have a refresher course before diving into the form. Form 941, the Employer’s Quarterly Tax Return, reports income taxes, social security tax, and Medicare tax required to be withheld from your employee wages. It’s also used to calculate and submit the employer portion of social security and Medicare taxes.

And since Form 941 is a quarterly form, it must be submitted to the IRS the month following the end of each fiscal quarter. So with the deadline we have coming up on July 31, you’ll need to report financial details from April through June (the second quarter).

E-filing Form 941
Of course, the easiest and fastest way to complete and submit Form 941 is by e-filing. Just keep in mind you’ll need to electronically sign your form with either an Online Signature PIN (assigned by the IRS) or by completing Form 8453-EMP. And with ExpressIRSForms, completing and e-signing Form 941 couldn’t be simpler! You can even make online payments to the IRS when you e-file Form 941 through your account.

But you’d better hurry - there are officially less than two weeks left to complete and submit Form 941 for your business’s second quarter return. If you need any help getting started or have a question, don’t hesitate to reach out to us - we’re glad to help!

Happy filing, everyone!

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How to E-Sign Form 941 Without a Signature PIN

It’s no secret the easiest way to complete Form 941 is by e-filing. E-filing is faster and more secure and, with IRS-authorized e-filers like ExpressIRSForms, more accurate than paper filing. The only catch to e-filing Form 941 is that you must e-sign the form, and the IRS is very particular about how they make sure your e-signature is actually yours. So let’s dive right in, shall we?

Form 941 E-Signing & E-filing
When you e-file Form 941, there are two ways to e-sign your report: with an Online Signature PIN designated to you by the IRS or by completing Form 8453-EMP. If you’re going to be filing a lot of 941 Forms - say 4 a year for the rest of your business’s life - it’s probably good to go ahead and get an Online Signature PIN so you’re don’t always have to fill out two forms whenever you file your quarterly taxes.

But getting an Online Signature PIN can be quite the process, so let’s talk about what to do if you don’t have that PIN.

Form 8453-EMP
If you don’t have an Online Signature PIN given to you by the IRS, you’ll need to complete and submit Form 8453-EMP, Employment Tax Declaration for an IRS e-file Return, along with your 941 Form. When you e-file with ExpressIRSForms, to do this, all you need to do is select the Form 8453-EMP option when it comes time to e-sign your 941 Form. You’ll be able to securely e-sign the form with our e-signature portal and submit your return right away!

Getting an Online Signature PIN
You can easily get an Online Signature PIN through ExpressIRSForms too! Just keep in mind that the process takes up to 45 days to complete. All you’ll do is select the option for applying for an Online Signature PIN, fill out a little information, and submit your request. The IRS will take it from there, evaluating your application before sending your PIN to you in the mail. Once you receive your PIN, you’ll have 10 days to sign the form sent to you by the IRS and return it to them.

The IRS won’t send you a confirmation that they received your letter back, but your PIN should activate within 20-30 days of receiving it and mailing back the IRS form. This means if you’ve just gotten your PIN, it likely won’t be activated for you to e-sign any IRS forms. If it’s been at least 45 days since you first applied for your PIN but you’re still having activation issues, you’ll need to contact the IRS directly.


And if you have any questions about completing your Form 941 and e-signing it with ExpressIRSForms, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We’re available by phone, live chat, and email to answer any and all of your e-filing questions!

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