2021 PERSONAL TAX CALENDAR
JANUARY
January 15
Fourth-quarter/Final estimated-tax payments for the year 2020 are due. Submit them with Form 1040-ES. If you file your income tax return (Form 1040) by 31 January, then estimated taxes are not due.
January 31
You must file your 2020 income tax return (Form 1040) if you were required and did not make a fourth-quarter estimated payment by Jan.15.
FEBRUARY
February 15
File a new Form W-4 with your employer to change your withholding or continue the exemptions claimed in 2021.
APRIL
April 15
File your income tax return for 2020 (Form 1040) and pay any tax that is due. For an automatic six-month extension, file Form 4868 and pay the projected tax. You can receive an extension by phone (We do NOT recommend this practice at all, even if it is legal) if you pay part or all of your estimated income tax that is due with a credit card. If you paid cash wages of $2,000 or more in 2020 to a household employee, file Schedule H with your Form 1040 and report any employment taxes or tax withheld. The taxes are to be included with the amounts owed on your 1040, page 2.
Pay the first installment of your 2021 estimated tax (Form 1040-ES).
This is the last day to make 2020 contributions to a regular or Roth IRA.
If you are not filing an extension to file your 1040, this is the last day to make your Keogh plan or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) contribution for 2020.
File gift-tax returns (Form 709 or 709-A) for gifts made in 2020 that exceeded $14,000 per recipient. For a six-month extension, file Form 4868.
JUNE
June 15
If you’re a U.S. citizen or resident alien living and working (or on military duty) outside the country, send in Form 1040 for 2020 and pay any tax due. See the entry for April 15 above. You may file Form 4868 to obtain four additional months to file. (Note: Military participants in combat zones may earn further extensions, per Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide.)
Pay the second installment of your 2021 estimated taxes with Form 1040-ES.
SEPTEMBER
September 15
Pay the third installment of your 2021 estimated tax.
OCTOBER
October 15
If you requested an extension to file, today is the last day you can file Form 1040 for 2019, along with any 2020 taxes due. And, if you did file the extension, this is also the last day to make Keogh or SEP contributions for 2020.