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Official form guide
Form 940: Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return
IRS Form 940 is the Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return, filed by employers who paid wages of $1,500 or more in any quarter or had at least one employee for 20 weeks in the calendar year. It reports FUTA tax owed on wages up to $7,000 per employee per year.
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IRS Form 940 - Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return
IRS Form 940 is the Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return, filed by employers who paid wages of $1,500 or more in any quarter or had at least one employee for 20 weeks in the calendar year. It reports FUTA tax owed on wages up to $7,000 per employee per year.
Risk Radar
Scan points- 1Not stated in the official source. — verify on agency site
- 2Using the wrong tax year on line 1 — the form covers a calendar year from January 1 to December 31
- 3Skipping Part 1 line 5 when you are a successor employer — you must complete it to claim the credit
- 4Entering a negative number on line 8 for a credit reduction state — line 8 cannot be negative; use Schedule A instead
- 5Omitting the state reporting number on line 11 — each state requires a separate account number
Plain English
Form 940 is how employers report and pay federal unemployment tax to the government. This tax helps fund unemployment benefits for workers who lose their jobs. You file it once a year to show how much you owe based on your employees' wages.
Submission Date
- Filing date: 2025-11-26 21:10:05
- Preparation window: collect IDs, supporting records, and signatures in advance.
- Final review: verify names, dates, and required fields before submission.
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What this form is for
- Use this form when you are an employer who paid wages of $1,500 or more in any quarter or had at least one employee for 20 weeks in the calendar year, to report and pay FUTA tax.
- Do not use it when you are a household employer filing Form 1040 Schedule H or an agricultural employer filing Form 943.
Form selector
Use this form or another form?
Household employee wages
Report and pay FUTA tax for household employees separately
✓ Not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site.
Agricultural employee wages
File FUTA tax for farmworkers using a different form
✓ Not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site.
Statutory employee wages
Only include wages for statutory employees on Form 940 if applicable
✓ Not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site.
Deadline or filing window
Not stated in the official source. — verify on the agency site
Checklist
What you need before filling it out
Employee information
List of all employees and wages paid · Payroll records
Wage amounts
Total wages paid per employee per quarter · Payroll summary
FUTA tax rate
Current tax rate (standard 6.0% minus state credit) · IRS publications
State unemployment tax paid
Proof of state UI tax payments · State agency receipts
Part-year employers
Dates of employment start and end · Employment records
Signer authorization
Name and title of person signing · Corporate or entity records
Before you submit
- 1Verify the correct form year (e.g., 2024) matches the tax year.
- 2Check that all employee names and wages are entered correctly on Part 1.
- 3Confirm the wage base per employee does not exceed $7,000 for each.
- 4Calculate the FUTA tax correctly: gross tax at 6.0% minus allowable state credit.
- 5Attach any required schedules or adjustments (e.g., line 12a-12e).
- 6Review the payment method — pay with EFTPS, check, or money order if filing by mail.
- 7Ensure the form is signed and dated by an authorized officer.
- 8Keep a copy of the filed form and payment receipt for your records.
- 9Check that the mailing address matches the correct IRS service center for your state.
- 10If filing electronically, confirm the transmission was accepted by the IRS.
How to file this form
- 1Compile payroll records for the calendar year, including employee names, wages per quarter, and state unemployment tax paid.
- 2Complete Parts 1-4 of Form 940, starting with total wages, then calculating taxable wages, and computing the FUTA tax.
- 3Report state unemployment tax contributions in Part 2 to claim the state credit.
- 4Calculate the total FUTA tax liability and any prior year adjustments in Part 4.
- 5Sign and date the form in Part 5 by an authorized officer.
- 6Pay the amount due using IRS-approved payment methods (e.g., EFTPS, check, money order).
- 7File the form by the due date (January 31 for the prior calendar year, or February 10 if timely deposits made).
- 8Retain proof of filing — confirmation from e-file or certified mail receipt.
Field map
Compact field-by-field guide
Employer Info
1 items
Full legal name and Employer Identification Number.
Quarter
1 items
Select the calendar quarter this return covers.
Wages
1 items
Sum of all wages, tips, and other compensation paid to employees during the quarter.
Withholding
1 items
Total federal income tax withheld from employee paychecks.
SS & Medicare
1 items
Wages subject to Social Security tax (capped) and Medicare tax (uncapped).
Deposit
1 items
Indicate your deposit schedule: monthly, semiweekly, or next-day rule if over $100k.
Signatures
1 items
Must be signed by an authorized officer or agent of the employer.
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Fillable formOpen in Editor->Not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The current edition is determined by the IRS; no revision date is available from the provided source.
What changed or needs a fresh check
- Edition date — not stated in the official source; confirm the revision date on the form itself.
- Fee — no fee is required to file Form 940.
- Mailing address — not stated in the official source; use the IRS mailing address for your state from the IRS website.
- Signature — the form must be signed by the authorized officer of the employer.
- Payment method — not stated in the official source; confirm acceptable payment methods (e.g., EFTPS, check, money order) on the IRS site.
Quick Facts
Downloads
After you file
- 1Retain a copy of the filed Form 940 for at least 4 years.
- 2Keep records of all wage data and state UI payments as backup.
- 3Monitor for an acknowledgement from the IRS if e-filed, or track delivery if mailed.
- 4If a payment was made, verify the check clears or the electronic payment is posted.
- 5If you discover an error after filing, file an amended Form 940-X (not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site).
- 6Prepare for the next year's Form 940 by updating payroll systems.
Sources
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The purpose of Form 940 is assumed from the official title.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. Filing thresholds of $1,500 in any quarter or 20 weeks are from the provided context.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The wage base of $7,000 is from the provided context.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The standard tax rate of 6.0% is from the provided context.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The due date of January 31 is common for annual returns.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The state credit adjustment is standard.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. Alternate forms like Schedule H and Form 943 are from common IRS practice.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. No specific address, penalty, or related form numbers are named.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The signature requirement is general filing mechanics.
- SRCNot stated in the official source — verify on the agency site. The retention period of 4 years is general IRS practice.
Common confusion points
Do I need to file if I only had one employee for a few weeks?
The 20-week threshold is confusing — any part of a week counts
→ Confirm you had at least one employee for 20 weeks total in the calendar year.
What is the wage base cap of $7,000?
It's per employee per year, not per quarter — some think it's per quarter
→ Check your records: any wages over $7,000 to one employee are not taxed.
How do I claim the state credit?
The credit reduces your FUTA tax up to 5.4% — but only if you paid state UI taxes on time
→ Verify you paid state unemployment taxes and enter the amount in Part 2 correctly.
I paid state UI late — can I still claim the credit?
The credit is only for taxes paid by the Form 940 due date
→ If paid late, you lose the credit and must pay full 6.0% — check IRS rules for exceptions.
Do I file Form 940 if I had no employees this year?
The form is for those with wages or employees — zero employees may not need to file
→ Review the filing requirements: if no wages paid, you likely do not file.
What is the due date if I miss January 31?
Different deadlines apply if all deposits were made on time
→ If you made all deposits, you can file by February 10 — otherwise you must file by January 31.
Workflow map
Related forms and next steps
Before
Current
After
Often used with
⚠ If something goes wrong
- Form 843 — claim for refund of overpaid FUTA tax.
Questions about IRS Form 940
What is IRS Form 940 used for?
Form 940 is how employers report and pay federal unemployment tax to the government. This tax helps fund unemployment benefits for workers who lose their jobs. You file it once a year to show how much you owe based on your employees' wages.
Do I need to file if I only had one employee for a few weeks?
The 20-week threshold is confusing — any part of a week counts Confirm you had at least one employee for 20 weeks total in the calendar year.
What is the wage base cap of $7,000?
It's per employee per year, not per quarter — some think it's per quarter Check your records: any wages over $7,000 to one employee are not taxed.
How do I claim the state credit?
The credit reduces your FUTA tax up to 5.4% — but only if you paid state UI taxes on time Verify you paid state unemployment taxes and enter the amount in Part 2 correctly.
I paid state UI late — can I still claim the credit?
The credit is only for taxes paid by the Form 940 due date If paid late, you lose the credit and must pay full 6.0% — check IRS rules for exceptions.
Do I file Form 940 if I had no employees this year?
The form is for those with wages or employees — zero employees may not need to file Review the filing requirements: if no wages paid, you likely do not file.
What is the due date if I miss January 31?
Different deadlines apply if all deposits were made on time If you made all deposits, you can file by February 10 — otherwise you must file by January 31.
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