941 Deposit Schedule: Monthly vs Semiweekly Rules, the 2027 Lookback and How to Pay
Your 941 deposit schedule decides when the federal income tax you withhold, plus both halves of Social Security and Medicare tax, has to reach the Treasury. It has nothing to do with how often you run payroll, and it isn't the same deadline as the quarterly return. Deposits happen all quarter long; the return comes after, on the Form 941 filing due dates.
This guide covers both schedules, the lookback period that sets your 2027 schedule (it's time to work that out now), every semiweekly due date left in 2026, and the ways you're allowed to pay. If you also prepare the return itself, start with Form 941, Schedule B and 941-X in one place.
Monthly vs semiweekly depositor status comes from your lookback period, not how often you run payroll. If your Forms 941 for July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 show $50,000 or less in total taxes, you're a monthly depositor for 2026; more than $50,000 makes you semiweekly. For 2027, the lookback is July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Monthly vs semiweekly depositor: which one are you?
Add up line 12 (total taxes after adjustments and nonrefundable credits) from the four Forms 941 in your lookback period. The total decides your schedule for the whole calendar year, according to section 11 of IRS Publication 15 (2026).
| Lookback total (Form 941, line 12) | Your schedule | When deposits are due |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 or less | Monthly depositor | By the 15th of the following month |
| More than $50,000 | Semiweekly depositor | Wednesday, Thursday or Friday paydays: the following Wednesday. Saturday through Tuesday paydays: the following Friday. |
| $100,000 or more accumulated on any single day | Next-day rule, whatever your schedule | By the next business day |
| New employer (no 941s in the lookback) | Monthly for the first calendar year | By the 15th of the following month, unless the $100,000 rule kicks in |
Source: IRS Publication 15 (2026), section 11; IRS Topic 757 (updated September 24, 2026).
The boundary is exact. A 2026 lookback total of exactly $50,000 keeps you monthly; $50,001 makes you semiweekly. "Monthly" and "semiweekly" only name the set of due-date rules you follow. A semiweekly depositor who pays employees once a month still makes just one deposit for that payday.
Your 2026 and 2027 lookback periods
For Form 941 filers, the lookback period is the four quarters running from July 1 through June 30 before the year starts. You're expected to know your schedule before January 1, so the 2027 answer is already locked in by your filed returns.
| Schedule year | Lookback period (Form 941 filers) | Returns to add (line 12) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 | Q3 2024, Q4 2024, Q1 2025, Q2 2025 |
| 2027 | July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 | Q3 2025, Q4 2025, Q1 2026, Q2 2026 |
Sources: Publication 15 (2026), Table 1; IRS Notice 931 (Rev. September 2026).
Work out your 2027 schedule in four steps
Example for 2027: an employer's line 12 amounts were $11,800 (Q3 2025), $12,400 (Q4 2025), $13,100 (Q1 2026) and $13,200 (Q2 2026). The total is $50,500, so this employer, monthly in 2026, becomes a semiweekly depositor on January 1, 2027.
Special lookback situations
- You filed Form 944: a 2027 Form 941 filer who filed Form 944 in 2025 or 2026 uses calendar year 2025 as the lookback. For 2026, the same rule points to calendar year 2024.
- You corrected a lookback quarter with Form 941-X: the correction doesn't count. The IRS uses the amounts you originally reported.
- You're a new employer: quarters before you started count as zero, so you're monthly for your first calendar year.
- You hit the $100,000 rule: that overrides the lookback for the rest of the year and the next year (see below).
2026 monthly deposit due dates
A monthly depositor deposits the taxes on wages paid during a month by the 15th of the next month. When the 15th lands on a weekend or a District of Columbia legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Deposits follow the date wages were paid, not the pay period they cover.
| Wages paid during | Deposit due | Why it moved |
|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | January 15, 2026 | No change |
| January 2026 | February 17, 2026 | February 15 is a Sunday and February 16 is a legal holiday |
| February 2026 | March 16, 2026 | March 15 is a Sunday |
| March 2026 | April 15, 2026 | No change |
| April 2026 | May 15, 2026 | No change |
| May 2026 | June 15, 2026 | No change |
| June 2026 | July 15, 2026 | No change |
| July 2026 | August 17, 2026 | August 15 is a Saturday |
| August 2026 | September 15, 2026 | No change |
| September 2026 | October 15, 2026 | No change |
| October 2026 | November 16, 2026 | November 15 is a Sunday |
| November 2026 | December 15, 2026 | No change |
| December 2026 | January 15, 2027 | No change |
Source: Publication 15 (2026), section 11 and its 2026 legal holiday list. Weekday checks by ePaystubs.
Example: a monthly depositor that paid wages every Friday in October 2026 makes one deposit covering all of those paydays by Monday, November 16, 2026. If it paid no wages in a month, nothing is due for that month.
How the semiweekly deposit schedule works
Semiweekly depositors work in two deposit periods each week, and the due date depends on the payday.
| If payday falls on | Deposit by the following | Holiday rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, Thursday or Friday | Wednesday | One extra business day for each legal holiday in the three weekdays after the period ends |
| Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday | Friday | Same rule |
Source: Publication 15 (2026), section 11, Table 2 and "Deposits Due on Business Days Only."
Only District of Columbia legal holidays count. A state holiday that isn't a DC holiday doesn't extend a federal deposit. The holidays left in 2026 are Columbus Day (October 12), Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas (December 25), and New Year's Day falls on Friday, January 1, 2027.
If you pay wages on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (third quarter) and again on Friday, October 2, 2026 (fourth quarter), you make two separate deposits, one for each quarter. Both are due Wednesday, October 7, 2026. This is Publication 15's own example.
Semiweekly deposit schedule for Q4 2026
Semiweekly deposits in Q4 2026 follow the payday rule, but five holidays push some dates back: Oct 7 to 9 paydays are due Oct 15, Nov 4 to 6 paydays Nov 12, Nov 7 to 10 paydays Nov 16, Nov 21 to 24 paydays Nov 30, Dec 19 to 22 paydays Dec 28, and Dec 26 to 29 paydays Jan 4, 2027.
| Paydays | Deposit due | Holiday shift |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 to 2 | Wed, Oct 7 | None |
| Oct 3 to 6 | Fri, Oct 9 | None |
| Oct 7 to 9 | Thu, Oct 15 | Yes: Columbus Day, Oct 12 |
| Oct 10 to 13 | Fri, Oct 16 | None |
| Oct 14 to 16 | Wed, Oct 21 | None |
| Oct 17 to 20 | Fri, Oct 23 | None |
| Oct 21 to 23 | Wed, Oct 28 | None |
| Oct 24 to 27 | Fri, Oct 30 | None |
| Oct 28 to 30 | Wed, Nov 4 | None |
| Oct 31 to Nov 3 | Fri, Nov 6 | None |
| Nov 4 to 6 | Thu, Nov 12 | Yes: Veterans Day, Nov 11 |
| Nov 7 to 10 | Mon, Nov 16 | Yes: Veterans Day, Nov 11 |
| Nov 11 to 13 | Wed, Nov 18 | None |
| Nov 14 to 17 | Fri, Nov 20 | None |
| Nov 18 to 20 | Wed, Nov 25 | None |
| Nov 21 to 24 | Mon, Nov 30 | Yes: Thanksgiving, Nov 26 |
| Nov 25 to 27 | Wed, Dec 2 | None |
| Nov 28 to Dec 1 | Fri, Dec 4 | None |
| Dec 2 to 4 | Wed, Dec 9 | None |
| Dec 5 to 8 | Fri, Dec 11 | None |
| Dec 9 to 11 | Wed, Dec 16 | None |
| Dec 12 to 15 | Fri, Dec 18 | None |
| Dec 16 to 18 | Wed, Dec 23 | None |
| Dec 19 to 22 | Mon, Dec 28 | Yes: Christmas, Dec 25 |
| Dec 23 to 25 | Wed, Dec 30 | None |
| Dec 26 to 29 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | Yes: New Year's Day, Jan 1, 2027 |
| Dec 30 to 31 | Wed, Jan 6, 2027 | None |
Source: IRS Publication 509 (2026), Table 2, which reflects all legal holidays. The shifted rows were rechecked by ePaystubs against the Publication 15 holiday rule.
Monthly depositors have just three Q4 dates: November 16, 2026 for October wages, December 15, 2026 for November wages and January 15, 2027 for December wages. The $100,000 rule still applies to both schedules.
The $100,000 next-day deposit rule
If you accumulate $100,000 or more in employment taxes on any day during a deposit period, you must deposit by the close of the next business day, whatever your schedule. In 2026 the threshold is measured before nonrefundable credits reduce your liability.
- A monthly depositor that crosses it becomes semiweekly the next day and stays semiweekly for the rest of that year and all of the following year.
- Stop counting at the end of a deposit period. If a semiweekly depositor accumulates $95,000 on a Tuesday and $10,000 on Wednesday, the rule doesn't apply: $95,000 is due Friday and $10,000 the following Wednesday.
- Start fresh after a next-day deposit. Once you hit $100,000, the next day's liability starts a new count.
Q4 2026 example: a monthly depositor runs a bonus payroll and reaches $106,000 of tax liability on Thursday, November 19, 2026. It must deposit by Friday, November 20, becomes a semiweekly depositor that day, and stays semiweekly through December 31, 2027.
When you can pay with Form 941 instead of depositing
Most employers can't skip deposits. Publication 15 allows a payment with a timely filed 2026 Form 941 in only two cases:
- Small liability: line 12 is under $2,500 for either the current quarter or the prior quarter, and you didn't trigger the $100,000 next-day rule this quarter. Either quarter is enough; you don't need both. If you aren't sure the current quarter will stay under $2,500 and the prior quarter wasn't under it, deposit on your schedule.
- Monthly depositor shortfall: you're a monthly depositor making up a small deposit shortfall under the accuracy of deposits rule. That payment can be $2,500 or more.
The accuracy of deposits rule
You're supposed to deposit 100% of the liability on time, but the 2026 rule waives the penalty on a shortfall that's no more than the greater of $100 or 2% of the required deposit, as long as you make it up by the makeup date.
| Your schedule | Makeup date rule | Q4 2026 example |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Deposit it, or pay it with the return, by the return's due date | Any Q4 2026 shortfall: by February 1, 2027 |
| Semiweekly | The first Wednesday or Friday on or after the 15th of the next month, or the return due date if that's earlier | October 2026 shortfall: Wednesday, November 18, 2026. December 2026 shortfall: Friday, January 15, 2027 |
Source: Publication 15 (2026), section 11, "Accuracy of Deposits Rule." Q4 dates calculated by ePaystubs.
Say your line 12 was $9,000 last quarter and $9,000 this quarter, and you mail one $9,000 check with Form 941. Neither quarter was under $2,500, so that money had to be deposited. Under the 2026 Publication 15 penalty table, amounts paid with the return instead of deposited can draw a 10% failure-to-deposit penalty: $900 here.
For comparison, 2026 late deposits run 2% (1 to 5 days), 5% (6 to 15 days) and 10% (16 days or more), rising to 15% if tax is still unpaid more than 10 days after the first IRS notice.
How to pay 941 taxes: EFTPS, Direct Pay, wire or Form 941-V
Pay 941 taxes electronically: EFTPS, IRS Direct Pay for businesses, your IRS business tax account, a same-day wire or a payroll provider. Under the 2026 rules, a check mailed with Form 941 and Form 941-V is only for employers who aren't required to deposit, such as when line 12 is under $2,500 for the current or prior quarter, or monthly depositors covering a small shortfall.
| Method | Makes a 941 deposit? | Cost | Timing and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| EFTPS | Yes | Free | Enrollment can take up to 5 business days. Same day for $1 million or less if submitted before 3:00 p.m. ET on a business day; over $1 million, by 8:00 p.m. ET the day before. Schedule up to 365 days ahead. |
| IRS Direct Pay for businesses | Yes ("Federal Tax Deposit" for Form 941) | Free | No sign-in. Available 12 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. ET. Up to 5 payments in 24 hours and $10 million per payment. Change or cancel until 2 business days before the payment date. |
| IRS business tax account | Yes | Free | Sign-in required; what you can do depends on your business type and your role. |
| Same-day wire | Yes | Bank fee likely | Arrange with your bank ahead of time and give it the IRS Same-day Taxpayer Worksheet, one per form and period. Bank cutoffs vary. |
| Payroll provider or tax professional | Yes | Their fee | Their cutoffs may differ. The employer stays responsible for the deposit. |
| Credit or debit card | No | Processor fee | Balance due on the return only. Never for deposits. |
| Electronic funds withdrawal (EFW) | No | Varies by software or preparer | Balance due when you e-file the return only. Never for deposits. |
| Check or money order with Form 941-V | No | Postage | Only when you're allowed to pay with the return (see above). |
Sources: Publication 15 (2026), section 11; Notice 931 (Rev. September 2026); Instructions for Form 941 (Rev. March 2026); IRS pages on EFTPS (updated June 28, 2026), Direct Pay for businesses (updated June 27, 2026) and same-day wire (updated July 22, 2026).
The EFTPS cutoff most guides get wrong
You'll often read that EFTPS payments must be scheduled by 8 p.m. ET the day before the due date. Publication 15 (2026) and Notice 931 (Rev. September 2026) now say EFTPS accepts same-day payments of $1 million or less if you submit them before 3:00 p.m. ET on a business day; the 8 p.m. day-before cutoff is for payments over $1 million. Parts of the EFTPS site still show the older 8 p.m. wording, so scheduling a day early remains the safest habit.
New employers who said they'd owe federal tax when they applied for an EIN are pre-enrolled in EFTPS: the PIN arrives by mail and you activate it by phone. If you're not enrolled and the deadline is close, IRS Direct Pay for businesses needs no enrollment and accepts Form 941 deposits. According to IRS Direct Pay help, a successful withdrawal is credited for the date you select, though same-day requests made after 8 p.m. ET typically post as the next business day.
Paying a balance due with Form 941-V
If you're allowed to pay with the return, the March 2026 instructions ask you to pay electronically where you can, under Executive Order 14247. A check is still accepted: make it payable to "United States Treasury," write your EIN, "Form 941" and the quarter (for example, "3rd Quarter 2026") on it, and enclose Form 941-V.
If you pay electronically, skip Form 941-V and mail the return to the "without a payment" address. And if you made every 2026 deposit on time and line 12 was $2,500 or more in both quarters, line 14 should be zero.
Deposit, file and record: line 16 or Schedule B
Depositing and reporting are separate jobs, and mixing them up causes most deposit penalties.
- Monthly depositors enter each month's tax liability on line 16. No Schedule B.
- Semiweekly depositors, and anyone who became semiweekly through the $100,000 rule, check the third box on line 16 and attach Schedule B (Form 941), entering liability on the dates employees were paid.
- Under $2,500 for the current or prior quarter: check the first box on line 16 instead.
Enter liabilities, not deposits, and never negative amounts. If line 12 is $2,500 or more in 2026 and line 16 or Schedule B is missing or filled in wrong, the IRS can spread your liability evenly across the quarter and charge an "averaged" failure-to-deposit penalty of 2% to 10%, even when every deposit was on time. Our guide shows how to reconcile line 12 with line 16 or Schedule B before you file. If a filed return was wrong, you can correct a filed return with Form 941-X.
Semiweekly depositors can fill out Schedule B payday by payday, and anyone can prepare your Form 941 from reconciled payroll totals, then print, sign and file it. ePaystubs prepares the forms; it doesn't make your tax deposits or file with the IRS for you.
Q4 2026 and 2027 deposit checklist
Six deposit claims you'll see online, checked against the IRS
| What you might read | What the 2026 IRS guidance says |
|---|---|
| "EFTPS payments must be scheduled by 8 p.m. the day before." | Only for payments over $1 million. Payments of $1 million or less can go the same day if submitted before 3:00 p.m. ET on a business day. |
| "All payroll tax deposits must go through EFTPS." | EFTPS, IRS Direct Pay or the IRS business tax account all work, as do a third party or a same-day wire. |
| "The $2,500 exception needs both quarters under $2,500." | Either the current or the prior quarter is enough, with no $100,000 next-day obligation this quarter. |
| "Hitting $100,000 makes you semiweekly for the rest of the year." | For the rest of that year and all of the following year. |
| "You can make payroll tax deposits with a credit card." | Cards and EFW are for a balance due on the return only, never deposits. |
| "You can only mail a payment with Form 941 if line 16's first box applies." | Monthly depositors can also pay an accuracy-of-deposits shortfall with the return, even $2,500 or more. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Add line 12 from the four Forms 941 in your lookback period, which for 2026 runs July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. A total of $50,000 or less makes you monthly, and more makes you semiweekly. New employers start out monthly.
For Form 941 filers it's July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, covering the third quarter of 2025 through the second quarter of 2026. If you filed Form 944 in 2025 or 2026, your 2027 lookback is calendar year 2025 instead.
Only if you're a semiweekly depositor or became one during the quarter through the $100,000 next-day rule. Monthly depositors report 2026 liability by month on line 16, and employers under $2,500 for the current or prior quarter check the first box on line 16.
Use IRS Direct Pay for businesses, which needs no enrollment and accepts Form 941 federal tax deposits, or your IRS business tax account. You can also ask your bank for a same-day wire or have a payroll provider deposit for you.
Only a balance due shown on the return, paid through one of the card processors listed on IRS.gov, which charge a fee. The Form 941 instructions say not to use a credit or debit card for federal tax deposits, so required deposits must go by electronic funds transfer.
The IRS has stopped new EFTPS enrollments for individual taxpayers, though existing individual users can still log in for now. Its EFTPS page announces no change for businesses, which can still enroll in EFTPS and use it to make their Form 941 deposits.
Official Sources and References
- IRS: Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide, section 11
- IRS: Notice 931 (Rev. September 2026), Deposit Requirements for Employment Taxes
- IRS: Publication 509 (2026), Tax Calendars, Table 2
- IRS: Instructions for Form 941 (Rev. March 2026)
- IRS: Topic 757, Forms 941 and 944 deposit requirements (updated September 24, 2026)
- IRS: Pay business taxes with Direct Pay (updated June 27, 2026)
- IRS: EFTPS, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (updated June 28, 2026)
- IRS: Pay taxes by same-day wire (updated July 22, 2026)