Depositing Taxes — When To Deposit: Employer Payroll Taxes (2026 IRS Guide)

This guide covers “Depositing Taxes — When To Deposit” within employer payroll taxes. The following material presents the IRS treatment of this topic, including the qualifications, exceptions, and examples in the source section. Read the rules alongside the facts of your own situation before deciding what to report, deduct, or document.

Adapted from Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide, published by the Internal Revenue Service. This guide retains the source edition’s years, amounts, deadlines, and examples. It is guidance for that edition, not a statement that the same figures apply to every tax year.

Context for these rules

Generally, you must deposit federal income tax withheld and both the employer and employee social security and Medicare taxes. You must use EFT to make all federal tax deposits. See How To Deposit, later in this section, for information on electronic deposit requirements.

Depositing Taxes — When To Deposit

There are two deposit schedules—monthly and semiweekly—for determining when you deposit social security, Medicare, and withheld federal income taxes. These schedules tell you when a deposit is due after a tax liability arises. Your tax liability is based on the dates payments were made or wages were paid. For taxable noncash fringe benefits, see When taxable fringe benefits are treated as paid in section 5. Before the beginning of each calendar year, you must determine which of the two deposit schedules you’re required to use. The deposit schedule you must use is based on the total tax liability you reported on Forms 941, line 12; Form 943, line 13; Form 944, line 9; or Form 945, line 3, during a lookback period, discussed next. Your deposit schedule isn’t determined by how often you pay your employees or make deposits. See special rules for Form 943, Form 944, and Form 945, later in this section. Also see Application of Monthly and Semiweekly Schedules, later in this section.

Caution:

These rules don’t apply to FUTA tax. See section 14 for information on depositing FUTA tax.

Lookback period.

If you’re a Form 941 filer, your deposit schedule for a calendar year is determined from the total taxes reported on Forms 941, line 12, in a 4-quarter lookback period. The lookback period begins July 1 and ends June 30 as shown next in Table 1. If you reported $50,000 or less of taxes for the lookback period, you’re a monthly schedule depositor; if you reported more than $50,000, you’re a semiweekly schedule depositor.

Table 1. Lookback Period for Calendar Year 2026*

If you’re a Form 943 or Form 944 filer for the current year or either of the preceding 2 years, your deposit schedule for a calendar year is determined from the total taxes reported during the second preceding calendar year (either on your Forms 941 for all 4 quarters of that year, your Form 943 for that year, or your Form 944 for that year). The lookback period for 2026 for a Form 943 or Form 944 filer is calendar year 2024. If you reported $50,000 or less of taxes for the lookback period, you’re a monthly schedule depositor; if you reported more than $50,000, you’re a semiweekly schedule depositor.

If you’re a Form 945 filer, your deposit schedule for a calendar year is determined from the total taxes reported on line 3 of your Form 945 for the second preceding calendar year. The lookback period for 2026 for a Form 945 filer is calendar year 2024.

Adjustments and the lookback rule.

Adjustments made on Form 941-X, Form 943-X, Form 944-X, and Form 945-X don’t affect the amount of tax liability for previous periods for purposes of the lookback rule.

Example.

An employer originally reported a tax liability of $45,000 for the lookback period. The employer discovered, during January 2026, that the tax reported for one of the lookback period quarters was understated by $10,000 and corrected this error by filing Form 941-X. This employer is a monthly schedule depositor for 2026 because the lookback period tax liabilities are based on the amounts originally reported, and they were $50,000 or less. The $10,000 adjustment is also not treated as part of the 2026 taxes.

Deposit period.

The term “deposit period” refers to the period during which tax liabilities are accumulated for each required deposit due date. For monthly schedule depositors, the deposit period is a calendar month. The deposit periods for semiweekly schedule depositors are Wednesday through Friday and Saturday through Tuesday.

Tip:

If you’re an agent with an approved Form 2678, the deposit rules apply to you based on the total employment taxes accumulated by you for your own employees and on behalf of all employers for whom you’re authorized to act. For more information on an agent with an approved Form 2678, see Revenue Procedure 2013-39, 2013-52 I.R.B. 830, available at IRS.gov/irb/2013-52_IRB#RP-2013-39.

Monthly Deposit Schedule

For Form 941 filers, you’re a monthly schedule depositor for a calendar year if the total taxes on Forms 941, line 12, for the 4 quarters in your lookback period were $50,000 or less. For Form 943, Form 944, or Form 945 filers, you’re a monthly schedule depositor for a calendar year if the total taxes on Form 943, line 13; Form 944, line 9; or Form 945, line 3, during your lookback period were $50,000 or less. Under the monthly deposit schedule, deposit employment taxes on payments made during a month by the 15th day of the following month. See also Deposits Due on Business Days Only and $100,000 Next-Day Deposit Rule, later in this section. Monthly schedule depositors shouldn’t file Form 941, Form 943, Form 944, or Form 945 on a monthly basis.

New employers.

For Form 941 filers, your tax liability for any quarter in the lookback period before you started or acquired your business is considered to be zero. Therefore, you’re a monthly schedule depositor for the first calendar year of your business. For Form 943, Form 944, or Form 945 filers, your tax liability in the lookback period before you started or acquired your business is considered to be zero. Therefore, you’re a monthly schedule depositor for the first and second calendar years of your business. However, see $100,000 Next-Day Deposit Rule, later in this section.

Semiweekly Deposit Schedule

For Form 941 filers, you’re a semiweekly schedule depositor for a calendar year if the total taxes on Forms 941, line 12, during your lookback period were more than $50,000. For Form 943, Form 944, or Form 945 filers, you’re a semiweekly schedule depositor for a calendar year if the total taxes on Form 943, line 13; Form 944, line 9; or Form 945, line 3, during your lookback period were more than $50,000. Under the semiweekly deposit schedule, deposit employment taxes for payments made on Wednesday, Thursday, and/or Friday by the following Wednesday. Deposit taxes for payments made on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and/or Tuesday by the following Friday. See also Deposits Due on Business Days Only, later in this section.

Caution:

Semiweekly schedule depositors must complete Schedule B (Form 941), Report of Tax Liability for Semiweekly Schedule Depositors, and submit it with Form 941. If you file Form 943 and are a semiweekly schedule depositor, complete Form 943-A, Agricultural Employer’s Record of Federal Tax Liability, and submit it with Form 943. If you file Form 944 or Form 945 and are a semiweekly schedule depositor, complete Form 945-A, Annual Record of Federal Tax Liability, and submit it with your return.

Table 2. Semiweekly Deposit Schedule

Semiweekly deposit period spanning 2 quarters (Form 941 filers).

If you have more than 1 pay date during a semiweekly period and the pay dates fall in different calendar quarters, you’ll need to make separate deposits for the separate liabilities.

Example.

If you have a pay date on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (third quarter), and another pay date on Friday, October 2, 2026 (fourth quarter), two separate deposits would be required even though the pay dates fall within the same semiweekly period. Both deposits would be due on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

Semiweekly deposit period spanning 2 return periods (Form 943, Form 944, or Form 945 filers).

The period covered by a return is the return period. The return period for annual Form 943, Form 944, and Form 945 is a calendar year. If you have more than 1 pay date during a semiweekly period and the pay dates fall in different return periods, you’ll need to make separate deposits for the separate liabilities. For example, if a return period ends on Thursday, taxes accumulated on Wednesday and Thursday are subject to one deposit obligation, and taxes accumulated on Friday are subject to a separate obligation. Separate deposits are required because 2 different return periods are affected.

Example of Monthly and Semiweekly Schedules

Rose Co. reported Form 941 taxes as follows.

Rose Co. is a monthly schedule depositor for 2025 because its tax liability for the 4 quarters in its lookback period (third quarter 2023 through second quarter 2024) wasn’t more than $50,000. However, for 2026, Rose Co. will be a semiweekly schedule depositor because the total taxes exceeded $50,000 for the 4 quarters in its lookback period (third quarter 2024 through second quarter 2025).

Example for employers of farmworkers.

Red Co. reported taxes on its 2024 Form 943, line 13, of $48,000. On its 2025 Form 943, line 13, it reported taxes of $60,000.

Red Co. is a monthly schedule depositor for 2026 because its taxes for its lookback period ($48,000 for calendar year 2024) weren’t more than $50,000. However, for 2027, Red Co. will be a semiweekly schedule depositor because the total taxes for its lookback period ($60,000 for calendar year 2025) exceeded $50,000.

Deposits Due on Business Days Only

If a deposit is required to be made on a day that isn’t a business day, the deposit is considered timely if it is made by the close of the next business day. A business day is any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. For example, if a deposit is required to be made on a Friday and Friday is a legal holiday, the deposit will be considered timely if it is made by the following Monday (if that Monday is a business day).

Semiweekly schedule depositors have at least 3 business days following the close of the semiweekly period to make a deposit. If any of the 3 weekdays after the end of a semiweekly period is a legal holiday, you’ll have an additional day for each day that is a legal holiday to make the required deposit. For example, if a semiweekly schedule depositor accumulated taxes for payments made on Friday and the following Monday is a legal holiday, the deposit normally due on Wednesday may be made on Thursday (this allows 3 business days to make the deposit).

Legal holiday.

The term “legal holiday” means any legal holiday in the District of Columbia. For purposes of the deposit rules, the term “legal holiday” doesn’t include other statewide legal holidays. Legal holidays for 2026 are listed next.

• January 1—New Year’s Day

• January 19—Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

• February 16—Washington’s Birthday

• April 16—District of Columbia Emancipation Day

• May 25—Memorial Day

• June 19—Juneteenth National Independence Day

• July 3—Independence Day (observed)

• September 7—Labor Day

• October 12—Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Columbus Day)

• November 11—Veterans Day

• November 26—Thanksgiving Day

• December 25—Christmas Day

Application of Monthly and Semiweekly Schedules

The terms “monthly schedule depositor” and “semiweekly schedule depositor” don’t refer to how often your business pays its employees or even how often you’re required to make deposits. The terms identify which set of deposit rules you must follow when an employment tax liability arises. The deposit rules are based on the dates when wages are paid (cash basis), not on when tax liabilities are accrued for accounting purposes.

Monthly schedule example.

Spruce Co. is a monthly schedule depositor with seasonal employees. It paid wages each Friday during March but didn’t pay any wages during April. Under the monthly deposit schedule, Spruce Co. must deposit the combined tax liabilities for the March paydays by April 15. Spruce Co. doesn’t have a deposit requirement for April (due by May 15) because no wages were paid and, therefore, it didn’t have a tax liability for April.

Semiweekly schedule example.

Green, Inc., is a semiweekly schedule depositor and pays wages once each month on the last Friday of the month. Although Green, Inc., has a semiweekly deposit schedule, it will deposit just once a month because it pays wages only once a month. The deposit, however, will be made under the semiweekly deposit schedule as follows: Green, Inc.’s tax liability for the May 29, 2026 (Friday), payday must be deposited by June 3, 2026 (Wednesday). Under the semiweekly deposit schedule, liabilities for wages paid on Wednesday through Friday must be deposited by the following Wednesday.

$100,000 Next-Day Deposit Rule

If you accumulate $100,000 or more in taxes on any day during a monthly or semiweekly deposit period (see Deposit period, earlier in this section), you must deposit the tax by the next business day, whether you’re a monthly or semiweekly schedule depositor. The $100,000 tax liability threshold requiring a next-day deposit is determined before you consider any reduction of your liability for nonrefundable credits.

For purposes of the $100,000 rule, don’t continue accumulating a tax liability after the end of a deposit period. For example, if a semiweekly schedule depositor has accumulated a liability of $95,000 on a Tuesday (of a Saturday-through-Tuesday deposit period) and accumulated a $10,000 liability on Wednesday, the $100,000 next-day deposit rule doesn’t apply because the $10,000 is accumulated in the next deposit period. Thus, $95,000 must be deposited by Friday and $10,000 must be deposited by the following Wednesday.

However, once you accumulate at least $100,000 in a deposit period, stop accumulating at the end of that day and begin to accumulate anew on the next day. For example, Fir Co. is a semiweekly schedule depositor. On Monday, Fir Co. accumulates taxes of $110,000 and must deposit this amount on Tuesday, the next business day. On Tuesday, Fir Co. accumulates additional taxes of $30,000. Because the $30,000 isn’t added to the previous $110,000 and is less than $100,000, Fir Co. must deposit the $30,000 by Friday (following the semiweekly deposit schedule).

Caution:

If you’re a monthly schedule depositor and accumulate a $100,000 tax liability on any day during the deposit period, you become a semiweekly schedule depositor on the next day and remain so for at least the rest of the calendar year and for the following calendar year.

Example.

Elm, Inc., started its business on May 4, 2026. On Wednesday, May 6, it paid wages for the first time and accumulated a tax liability of $40,000. On Friday, May 8, Elm, Inc., paid wages and accumulated a liability of $60,000, bringing its total accumulated tax liability to $100,000. Because this was the first year of its business, the tax liability for its lookback period is considered to be zero, and it would be a monthly schedule depositor based on the lookback rules. However, because Elm, Inc., accumulated a $100,000 liability on May 8, it became a semiweekly schedule depositor on May 9. It will be a semiweekly schedule depositor for the remainder of 2026 and for 2027. Elm, Inc., is required to deposit the $100,000 by Monday, May 11, the next business day.

Accuracy of Deposits Rule

You’re required to deposit 100% of your tax liability on or before the deposit due date. However, penalties won’t be applied for depositing less than 100% if both of the following conditions are met.

• Any deposit shortfall doesn’t exceed the greater of $100 or 2% of the amount of taxes otherwise required to be deposited.

• The deposit shortfall is paid or deposited by the shortfall makeup date as described next.

Makeup Date for Deposit Shortfall

1. Monthly schedule depositor. Deposit the shortfall or pay it with your return by the due date of your return for the return period in which the shortfall occurred. You may pay the shortfall with your return even if the amount is $2,500 or more.

2. Semiweekly schedule depositor. Deposit by the earlier of:

   1. The first Wednesday or Friday (whichever comes first) that falls on or after the 15th day of the month following the month in which the shortfall occurred, or

   2. The due date of your return (for the return period of the tax liability).

For example, if a semiweekly schedule depositor has a deposit shortfall during April 2026, the shortfall makeup date is May 15, 2026 (Friday). However, if the shortfall occurred on the required July 1, 2026 (Wednesday), deposit due date for the June 26, 2026 (Friday), pay date, the return due date for the June 26 pay date (July 31, 2026) would come before the August 19, 2026 (Wednesday), shortfall makeup date. In this case, the shortfall must be deposited by July 31, 2026.

Using the guidance

Keep the documents that establish the dates, amounts, and circumstances described above. References to other chapters, forms, worksheets, or earlier and later sections refer to the linked IRS publication. Check the full publication and its updates before relying on a rule for a different tax year or a situation not addressed here.

Sources and further reading

• Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide: Depositing Taxes — When To Deposit — Internal Revenue Service; 2026 edition.

The cited U.S. government text is in the public domain. Source accessed October 28, 2026. Fynoptic has organized this material for educational use and is independent of, and not endorsed by, the IRS.