The IRS has released several new versions of Form 941 since quarter two of 2020. These changes to wage reporting are a result of COVID-19 relief provisions, including Qualified Sick and Family Leave, the Employee Retention Credit, deferred Social Security tax and, most recently, the COBRA Premium Assistance Credit.
It’s vital that employers make sure they are using the correct version of the form for both the 941 and the 941-x form.
IRS Form 941, the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, is an IRS form used by employers to report federal income taxes, Social Security tax or Medicare tax withholding from employees’ paychecks. These forms are used to match employers’ W3 at year end to make sure that they have reported both taxable wages and withholdings correctly.
If your organization has utilized any of the COVID relief provisions (Qualified Sick and Family Leave, Employee Retention Credit, a deferral of Social Security tax or the COBRA Premium Assistance Credit) the changes to the form will greatly impact your wage reporting.
Making sure your payroll software is updated with the latest version should ensure that the qualified wages flow into the correct location on the forms for both the 941 and the W2.
To make sure you are ready to begin, you need to know the time-period to report for the different credits available:
With the changes to Form 941, employers should pay special attention to the 941 instructions, as you must now fill out worksheets for credit reporting.
The purpose of the worksheets is to determine the credit your organization could receive based on qualifying for the COVID-19 relief credits. The worksheet will determine your full credit and how you report on the 941 form in either non-refundable credit or refundable credit. The two credits will be added together so that the employer receives the full credit.
Don’t forget that if you must amend any of your 941 returns, you must also have the correct 941-x Rev.
You are encouraged to sign up to file your Form 941 electronically. If you are filing a paper return, the location you send it to depends on if you are making a payment with the return or not. You will find the mailing addresses in the Form 941 instructions. It is based on the state in which your organization is located.
The goal of the 941 return is to make sure that the amounts you show for liabilities ties out to your deposits, deferral and credits. This is especially complicated given that relief provisions have now affected payroll records and reporting.
WE CAN HELP
Stay current on your favorite topics
Learn More
See what more we can bring to organizations just like yours.
Dealerships Healthcare Critical Access Hospitals Dental Practices Medical Practices Senior Living Health Systems Nonprofit Manufacturing Construction & Real EstateTake a deeper dive into this Insight’s subject matter.
Accounting & Finance