Filing, extensions & payments

1. Confirm tax classification, reporting year and ownership; “US LLC” alone is not enough.
2. List the applicable forms. A disregarded entity, partnership and C corporation have different forms, attachments and submission methods.
3. Identify who prepares, signs, submits and pays each item, including what a preparer’s service does not cover.
4. Track regular filing deadlines, payment deadlines, extension requirements and recipient-copy deadlines separately.
5. Obtain complete copies, submission status, payment evidence and unresolved issues at completion.

If payments to foreign recipients require Forms 1042/1042-S, check their separate filing and recipient-copy requirements. Filing Form 1120 does not complete those duties.

• Entity and year: formation, EIN confirmation, legal name, address, tax year and effective elections.
• Ownership: direct and indirect owners, percentages, individual or entity status and change dates.
• Activities: the business model, where people, services, offices, inventory and warehouses are located, and major contracts.
• Books: complete bank and platform records, reconciliations, sales, refunds, expenses, assets, debt and closing balances.
• Special dealings: contributions, distributions, loans, repayments, interest, service fees and owner-paid expenses by related party.
• Work already done: prior returns, current payments, extensions and evidence, IRS letters, and K-1/8805/1042-S copies.

Before handing over records, agree the scope: only 1120/1065, or also 5472, section 1446, 1042/1042-S, owner-level and state filings? Having a preparer submit one return does not mean every related duty is included.

Form 7004 extends applicable business returns, not every US tax filing at once. It generally must be submitted by the regular filing deadline, and a filing extension generally does not extend payment time.

• For a wholly foreign-owned US entity disregarded for income tax, Form 5472, the pro forma 1120 and the 7004 follow the special 5472 instructions.
• Partnership: Form 1065 and Form 8804 can need separate Forms 7004.
• Corporate and foreign-recipient reporting: applicable 1120/1042 extensions use 7004; 1042-S filing with the IRS uses 8809, and recipient copies have the separate 15397 procedure.

• Ordinary domestic partnership Form 1065: March 15, 2027.
• Ordinary domestic C corporation Form 1120: April 15, 2027.
• A covered foreign-owned US DE using the calendar year and required to file 5472 with pro forma 1120: April 15, 2027.
• General filing and recipient-copy deadline for 2026 Form 1042-S: March 15, 2027.

This is not “all companies file in April.” The overseas-books exception for 8804/8805, payroll, estimated tax and withholding installments need their own schedules.

Keep evidence for both filing and payment, but do not treat one as proof of the other. A successful electronic payment is not acceptance of a return; delivery by fax or mail does not mean the IRS has reviewed the content as correct.

Retain the complete filing, electronic submission status or fax report, mailing and delivery evidence, payment confirmation and notices together. If there is a rejection, discrepancy or possible missed prior year, have the next step reviewed promptly.