If your church or organization reported withheld taxes of $50,000 or less during the most recent lookback period (for 2023 the lookback period is July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022), then withheld payroll taxes are deposited monthly.

Monthly deposits are due by the 15th day of the following month. Note, however, that if withheld taxes are less than $2,500 at the end of any calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31), the church or organization need not deposit the taxes.

Instead, it can pay the total withheld taxes directly to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with its quarterly Form 941. Withheld taxes include federal income taxes withheld from employee wages, the employee’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes (7.65 percent of wages), and the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes (an additional 7.65 percent of employee wages).

If your church or organization reported withheld taxes of more than $50,000 during the most recent lookback period (for 2023 the lookback period is July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022), then the withheld payroll taxes are deposited semiweekly.

This means that for paydays falling on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, the payroll taxes must be deposited on or by the following Wednesday. For all other paydays, the payroll taxes must be deposited on the Friday following the payday.

Note further that large employers having withheld taxes of $100,000 or more at the end of any day must deposit the taxes by the next banking day. The deposit days are based on the timing of the employer’s payroll. Withheld taxes include federal income taxes withheld from employee wages, the employee’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes (7.65 percent of wages), and the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes (an additional 7.65 percent of employee wages).

Churches having non-minister employees (or one or more ministers who report their federal income taxes as employees and who have elected voluntary withholding) may file their employer’s quarterly federal tax return (Form 941) by this date instead of April 30 if all taxes for the first calendar quarter have been deposited in full and on time.

An annual information return (Form 990) for tax-exempt organizations is due by this date for tax year 2022. Form 990 summarizes revenue, expenses, and services rendered. Organizations exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code must report additional information on Schedule A.

An unrelated business income tax return (Form 990-T) must be filed by this date by churches and any other organization exempt from federal income tax that had gross income from an unrelated trade or business of $1,000 or more in 2022. Learn more about unrelated business income on this Recommended Reading page.

Annual certification (for calendar year 2022) of racial nondiscrimination by a private school exempt from federal income tax (Form 5578) must be filed by this date by schools that operate on a calendar-year basis.

This form must be filed by preschools, primary and secondary schools, and colleges, whether operated as a separate legal entity or by a church.

Richard R. Hammar further explains Form 5578, including the steps for filing one, in this article.