Form 1099-MISC Has a New IRS Deadline

Well, guys, we had to break it to you about the new W-2 Form deadline, now we’ve got some more slightly stressing news: your Form 1099-MISC deadline has probably been backed up to January 31, too.

The New Filing Date
Usually, when we talk deadlines, we’re a little more exact than “probably,” but the new 1099-MISC filing date has a condition: if you’re reporting nonemployee compensation payments in box 7 on Form 1099-MISC, your 2016 1099-MISC Forms must be submitted to the IRS by January 31, 2017.

If you do not have to report nonemployee compensation payments in box 7, you get to stick with the old deadlines, which if you’ll remember, are:

• February 28, 2017, if you’re paper filing
• March 31, 2017, if you’re e-filing.

Use ExpressIRSForms to File On Time
Of course, if you’re using ExpressIRSForms, this little deadline change should be anything but stressful, because we have everything you need to make sure your return is done on time. We’re cloud-based, so you can access your account through any browser and we have a built-in Address Book that automatically saves your payer and payee information as you enter it. We’ll even mail your recipient copies of Form 1099-MISC out from our headquarters in South Carolina once we’ve securely e-filed your IRS return.

Check out www.ExpressIRSForms.com for more info or give us a ring! We’re available by phone (704-684-4751) and live chat Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and we also offer 24/7 email assistance through support@ExpressIRSForms.com.

Read More »

The Adventures of Ace and the Evil Paper Cut

Welcome back to the Adventures of Ace, the world’s first e-filing superhero! Unfortunately, in Ace’s absence, the city did not fare as well as Ace reassured himself it would.

Little did Ace know that a villain, more villain-y than Confusion, was lurking on the outskirts of ExpressIRSForms. Biding his time, this ne’er-do-well waited for Ace to leave the city before invading. He infiltrated, slowly at first, but soon gathering enough speed to spread the kind of chaos Confusion has nightmares about.

Ace would recognize that tell-tale smell of toner and __ anywhere. He was an old but disastrous foe: Paper Cut. In addition to mixing up paper filing and e-filing information in taxpayers’ heads, a wave of information return forms followed him, flooding the streets with papers passersby can’t help but try to figure out.

As Ace flew closer, he could hear the screams that meant Paper Cut wasn’t far behind.

“The e-filing deadline’s today! I haven’t even started!” screams one taxpayer.

“I already e-filed but didn’t send in a 1096! Now I’m going to have to pay the IRS!!” screams another.

“Why, why would the IRS require people who file more than 250 forms to paper file?” lamented a third. “I think my hand’s going to fall off!”*

“And I’ve got just the thing!” Ace continued as he flew off.

Returning almost immediately with what appeared to be a giant half-lemon. In fact, it was a giant lemon, cut in half. Flying to where Paper Cut set up his Epicenter of Confusion (a throne made of stacked paper), Ace squeezed the lemon half directly over Paper Cut, sending a wash of lemon juice over him and dissolving his throne.

“I’ll get you for this Ace!” Paper Cut screamed as the deluge of citrusy liquid washed him out of town. “You can’t protect your precious e-filers forever!”

“How’d you know what to do so fast, Ace?” the wide-eyed child of one of the confused taxpayers asked Ace.

“It was easy! There’s NOTHING more detrimental to a paper cut than lemon juice! Now, taxpayers, gather round so I can set the record straight on these paper filing and e-filing requirements.”

And so another day in ExpressIRSForms ends peacefully, thanks to the help of Ace and his giant lemon.



*All of these are common paper filing/e-filing mix-ups! For more information on paper filing, check out our previous blog. And if you have any questions regarding e-filing or filing deadlines, you can always contact one of Ace’s sidekicks here at ExpressIRSForms. We’re available by phone, 704-839-4470, and live chat Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. We also offer 24/7 email support at support@expressirsforms.com.

Read More »

11 States with 1099 & W-2 Filing Deadlines Monday, February 29

State filing laws are about as diverse as the states themselves. As a result, it’s safest to contact your state department of revenue directly if you’re unsure of your state’s filing requirements. In the meantime, though, we’ve put together some basics on the states who require filings be complete by this coming Monday, February 29, 2016. Read on to see if you need to get filing!

Alabama
In Alabama, e-filed and paper filed W-2s, paper filed 1099s, and Form A-3 are due February 29, 2016. If you’re e-filing 1099 Forms, you still have until March 31 to file. If you’ve withheld Alabama income tax throughout the year, you’re required to file the Reconciliation Form A-3. ExpressIRSForms supports state 3-filing for all three of these forms. Paper filers can send their forms to:

          Alabama Department of Revenue

               Withholding Tax Section

                      P.O. Box 327480

            Montgomery, AL 36132-7480

Arkansas
Arkansas requires its residents to file all of their 1099s and W-2s, regardless of e-filing or paper filing, by February 29, 2016. Paper filers need to include their transmittal forms - ARW3 for W-2s, a copy of Form 1096 for 1099s - when sending their other forms. Arkansans filing W-2s must also file Reconciliation Form AR3MAR. ExpressIRSForms supports Arkansas state e-filing for 1099s and W-2s, but unfortunately not for Form AR3MAR. You’ll need to mail that here:

Individual Income Tax Section

Withholding Branch

P.O. Box 8055

Little Rock, AR 72203-8055

Arizona
In Arizona, filers need to have ALL W-2s, 1099 paper filings, Form A1-R, and Form A1-T filed with the state by February 29, 2016. Transmittal Form A1-R needs to be submitted with W-2 paper filings, and Reconciliation Form A1-T needs to be sent with W-2 forms. ExpressIRSForms supports e-filing in Arizona for 1099s, W-2s, and Form A1-T. If you wish to paper file, you can send your forms here:

Arizona Department of Revenue

P.O. Box 29009

Phoenix, AZ 85038-9009

Maryland
Maryland requires residents to file ALL W-2 forms, 1099 paper filings, and Form MW-508 by February 29, 2016. The Reconciliation Form MW-508 must be filed with your W-2 forms. ExpressIRSForms supports Maryland state e-filing for Forms 1099, W-2, and MW-508. Paper filers can send their forms here:

Comptroller of Maryland Revenue Administration Division

Taxpayer Service Station

110 Carroll Street

Annapolis, MD 21411

Michigan
In Michigan, only paper filings of Forms W-2 and 1099 are due February 29, 2016. But also due on this day is Reconciliation Form MI-165, which must be filed with W-2 forms. Unfortunately, ExpressIRSForms doesn’t support filing of Form MI-165, but we do support state e-filing for Forms W-2 and 1099 in Michigan. You can send Form MI-165 here if you filed W-2s:

Michigan Department of the Treasury

Department 77003

Detroit, MI 48277-0003

Minnesota
Minnesota doesn’t have any state-specific transmittal or reconciliation forms, but all W-2s filed by Minnesotans - as well as paper filed 1099 forms - must be filed by February 29, 2016. ExpressIRSForms supports Minnesota state e-filing for Forms 1099 and W-2, but if you’d like to paper file, you’ll need to mail your forms to:

Minnesota S Corporation Income Tax

Mail Station 1770

St. Paul, MN 55145-1770

North Dakota
The northernmost of the Dakotas requires ALL W-2s, 1099 paper filings, Form 307, and Form 306 be filed by February 29, 2016. Form 307 is the North Dakota transmittal form and only needs to be filed if you’re paper filing. Form 306 is the W-2 reconciliation form, and this must be filed by all W-2 filers. ExpressIRSForms supports state e-filing for W-2s and 1099s, but you’ll need to mail Form 306 (if applicable) to:

Office of State Tax Commissioner

600 E. Boulevard Avenue

Bismarck, ND 58505-0599

Ohio
In Ohio, ALL W-2s, 1099 paper filings, and Form IT-941 are due on February 29, 2016. Form IT-941 is the Ohio reconciliation form that must be filed with W-2 forms. ExpressIRSForms supports e-filing for all of these forms, but if you’d rather paper file, you’ll need to send your forms to:

Ohio Department of Taxation

P.O. Box 182401

Columbus, OH 43218-2401

Rhode Island
Rhode Island requires ALL W-2s and ALL 1099s reporting state tax withholding, as well as Reconciliation Form RI-3, be filed by February 29, 2016. ExpressIRSForms supports Rhode Island state e-filing for Form W-2. You can send your other required filings to:

State of Rhode Island: Division of Taxation

One Capitol Hill, Suite 7

Providence, RI 02908-5809

South Carolina
In ExpressIRSForms’s very own home state, ALL W-2s, 1099 paper filings, and Forms 1350 and WH-1606 are due Monday, February 29. Form 1350 is the state transmittal form for W-2s, and Form WH-1606 is the state reconciliation form. ExpressIRSForms supports SC state e-filing for Forms W-2 and 1099, however, you’ll need to send Form WH-1606 and any paper filings to:

South Carolina Department of Revenue Withholding

Columbia, SC 29214-0004

West Virginia
Lastly, West Virginia requires ALL 1099s, W-2s, and reconciliation and transmittal forms are submitted to the state by February 29. Form WV IT-105 serves as the West Virginia transmittal form for paper filers, and Form IT-103 is the reconciliation form required by all filers. ExpressIRSForms supports state e-filing for 1099s, W-2s, and Form IT-103. You can also paper file here:

West Virginia State Tax Department

P.O. Box 3943

Charleston, WV 25339-3943

If you have any questions or need help e-filing, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly, US-based support team. We’re available 24/7 by email at support@expressirsforms.com, or you can talk to someone right away by calling (704-839-2270) or live chatting during our office hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. EST.

Read More »

2015 Tax Filing Deadlines

Welcome back, folks!

We hope you had a great holiday weekend and are looking forward to jumping right into your 2015 tax filings this Monday morning! Oh, who are we kidding? Any one of us would hit a snooze button to delay thinking about filing for at least another week in a heartbeat if we could.

Although, that’s not to say that you can’t: in the spirit of the holidays, we’ll let it slide if you want to put off looking at your filings until next year/week. But before you go popping the champagne early, keep in mind that you’ve got some deadlines coming up. So take a look at the dates below, think about the amount of forms you’ll need to file, and determine if it’s time to own up to the responsibility or if it’s time for a glass of bubbly:

March 31, 2016
March 31st is the date by which copies of the ACA forms you’re filing will need to be sent out to your recipients. Normally, this due date is scheduled for January 31st of the year following the year for which you’re reporting but the IRS has extended this deadline for the 2015 tax year.

May 31, 2016
If you’re paper filing your ACA forms, you’ll need to have them sent to the IRS by May 31st. The official wording of the rule is “the last day of February following the year for which you’re filing,” so in future years, this due date will be February 28th or 29th.

June 30, 2016
And for the e-filers: your ACA forms 1095 and 1094 will need to be transmitted to the IRS by 11:59 p.m. (your time zone) on June 30th. But even though you can literally wait until the last minute to e-file, we recommend giving yourself a few days (or hours at least) to file before the deadline so you can avoid any issues with heavy site traffic or computer errors. And remember: after 2016, this due date will be March 31st of each year.

So be sure to keep these dates in mind as the new year approaches. If you miss one you're required to meet, you could face some serious penalties. You know better than we do how long it’ll take you to complete those  Form 1099s, Form W-2s, or ACA forms (although you might want to knock some of your estimated time off - our name is ExpressIRSForms, after all), so we won’t tell you that you have to start now. But it couldn’t hurt, either.

And if you need any help along the way, give us a call at (704) 839-2270, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, or send us an email anytime at support@expressirsforms.com!

Read More »