Paycheck calculator › Documents › Form 941 calculator: the quarter's lines, computed
Form 941 calculator: the quarter's lines, computed
Employers file Form 941 every quarter to report wages, the federal income tax withheld and both halves of Social Security and Medicare. Enter the quarter's payroll totals; the worksheet computes lines 5a–5e, total tax, and the balance due after deposits, and checks that your monthly liabilities add up to line 12. Free — copy the values onto the IRS form or into your e-file software.
Deposits and due dates
Deposit through EFTPS. If the quarter's total tax is under $2,500 you may pay it with the return. Otherwise you are a monthly depositor (deposit by the 15th of the following month) unless your lookback-period liability exceeded $50,000, which makes you semiweekly. Returns are due April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31.
Running payroll by hand?
The payroll ledger computes each pay run, keeps the quarter's totals and produces this worksheet and the W-2s automatically.
Frequently asked
Form 944 or 941?
The IRS tells very small employers (annual liability $1,000 or less) to file Form 944 once a year instead; use the same figures for the whole year.
What about household employees?
A nanny or caregiver goes on Schedule H with your 1040, not Form 941 — see the Schedule H calculator.
Where do sick pay and fringe benefits go?
Taxable fringe benefits count as wages on line 2 and in the Social Security/Medicare wage figures; third-party sick pay has an adjustment on line 8.