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March 2026 Tax Calendar: Critical Deadlines for S-Corps and Partnerships

For many of our service-based clients—especially those operating as S Corporations or Partnerships—March is the true start of tax season. While April 15th gets all the publicity, March 16th is often the date that matters most for business compliance. It is a busy time of year, but with organized books and a clear roadmap, it doesn't have to be stressful.

Here is your guide to the critical business due dates arriving in March 2026, from filing pass-through entity returns to finalizing your information reporting.

March 2: The Paper Filing Deadline

While most modern businesses e-file, March 2nd marks the deadline for filing paper government copies of various information returns. If you are still handling these manually, now is the time to clear them off your desk.

  • Information Returns (Form 1099): File government copies of Forms 1099 and transmittal Forms 1096 for payments made in 2025 (excluding 1099-NECs, which were due earlier).
  • Health Coverage Reporting (ACA): If you are an Applicable Large Employer (ALE), file paper Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. Other providers of minimum essential coverage must file paper Forms 1094-B and 1095-B. Note: If you e-file these, your deadline extends to March 31.
  • Employee Copies: Ensure you have provided Form 1095-C (for ALEs) or Form 1095-B to eligible employees and individuals.
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Industry-Specific March 2 Deadlines

While our focus at Desert Lily Bookkeeping is primarily on service providers and creatives, we want to ensure full compliance for all business types:

  • Gambling Winnings: File Form 1096 along with Copy A of all Forms W-2G issued for 2025.
  • Food & Beverage: Large establishments must file Form 8027 (Tip Income) and Form 8027-T.
  • Farmers & Fishermen: File your 2025 income tax return (Form 1040) and pay any tax due unless you paid estimated taxes by January 15.

March 16: The Big Date for Partnerships and S-Corps

This is the heavy hitter for many of our clients. If you are a consultant, creative agency, or real estate coordinator structured as a pass-through entity, this deadline is for you.

Partnerships (Form 1065)

You must file your 2025 calendar year return (Form 1065) and provide each partner with their Schedule K-1. This form reports the partner's share of income, deductions, and credits. If applicable, you must also provide Schedule K-3.

Need more time? If your books aren't quite ready—perhaps you are still categorizing year-end expenses—you can file Form 7004 to request an automatic 6-month extension. This pushes the filing deadline to September 15, giving us time to ensure your financial data is accurate.

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S Corporations (Form 1120-S)

Similar to partnerships, S Corps must file their 2025 income tax return (Form 1120-S) and pay any tax due. You must also issue Schedule K-1 (and Schedule K-3 if applicable) to each shareholder.

To request an extension, file Form 7004 and pay any estimated tax owed. Remember, an extension to file is not an extension to pay. Filing the extension moves the paperwork deadline to September 15, but interest may accrue on unpaid taxes.

S Corporation Election (Form 2553)

Are you looking to change your tax structure? March 16 is the deadline to file Form 2553 to elect S Corporation status for the calendar year 2026. If you miss this date, the election will generally apply starting in 2027. This is a strategic move for many growing service businesses earning over $200k, so let’s discuss if this fits your goals.

Withholding Deposits

For businesses on the monthly deposit rule, March 16 is the due date for depositing:

  • Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax for February payments.
  • Non-payroll withholding for February payments.

March 31: The E-Filing Deadline

If you utilize electronic filing—which we highly recommend for efficiency and security—this is your final cutoff for several information returns.

  • Forms 1099, 1098, and W-2G: This is the deadline to e-file these forms with the IRS.
  • ACA Forms: E-file Forms 1094-C, 1095-C, 1094-B, and 1095-B.
  • Tip Reporting: E-file Form 8027 for large food and beverage establishments.

Standard Rules & Extensions

Weekends & Holidays: Compliance rules state that if a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it is automatically pushed to the next business day.

Disaster Area Relief: If your business is located in a federally designated disaster area, you may have additional time to file. We monitor these announcements closely for our Florida clients and those across the U.S.

Deadlines like these are why we emphasize proactive bookkeeping throughout the year. If you are feeling the pressure of March 16th approaching, reach out to us. We can help you navigate extensions, clean up historical data, and get your systems aligned for a calmer year ahead.

Book Your Free Consultation
Book your free consultation with me today to see how we can get you back on track.
Book Now
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