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March 2026 Business Tax Deadlines: A Strategic Roadmap

For business owners in Cumming and the greater Atlanta area, March is often the pivotal month of tax season. While individual returns get the most media attention, March is where the heavy lifting happens for our service-based clients—specifically contractors, medical practices, and professional firms operating as partnerships or S Corporations.

At Get Balanced CPA, our goal is to provide clarity around these dates so you can maintain financial control without the stress. Here is your strategic guide to the March 2026 business deadlines.

March 2: Information Returns & Specific Industries

Due to the standard deadline falling on a weekend, several filing requirements move to the beginning of March this year.

Information Returns (Forms 1099 & 1096)

If you retained independent contractors or made other reportable payments in 2025, you must file the government copies of Form 1099 (and the transmittal Form 1096) by this date. Note that this applies to payments other than non-employee compensation (1099-NEC), which were due earlier.

ACA Reporting for Applicable Large Employers

If your business is classified as an Applicable Large Employer (ALE), you must file paper Forms 1094-C and 1095-C with the IRS to report health insurance coverage. Other providers of minimum essential coverage must file Forms 1094-B and 1095-B. Note: If you utilize our tech-forward approach and file these electronically, your deadline is automatically extended to March 31.

Abstract business background representing tax deadlines

Additional Industry-Specific Deadlines

  • Gambling Winnings: File Form 1096 and Copy A of Forms W-2G.
  • Large Food & Beverage Establishments: File Form 8027 to report tip income.
  • Farmers and Fishermen: File your 2025 Form 1040 and pay tax due, unless you paid estimated taxes by January 15.

March 16: The Pass-Through Entity Deadline

For many of our dual-income professional clients and business owners, this is the most significant date on the calendar. Timely filing for your business entity is critical because it generates the Schedule K-1s you need to complete your personal returns.

Partnerships (Form 1065)

Calendar year partnerships must file Form 1065. Crucially, you must provide each partner with their Schedule K-1 (and Schedule K-3 if applicable). If your books aren't quite ready, we can file Form 7004 to request an automatic 6-month extension. However, keep in mind that the extension is for filing, not for paying tax due.

S Corporations (Form 1120-S)

S Corps must file their 2025 income tax return and pay any tax due. Similar to partnerships, you must issue Schedule K-1s to shareholders so they can report that income on their individual returns. If you need more time to ensure accuracy, filing Form 7004 grants a 6-month extension to file, but estimated taxes must still be paid by this date to avoid penalties.

Virtual bookkeeping on a laptop

S Corporation Election for 2026

If you are operating as an LLC or C Corp and want to be taxed as an S Corp for the 2026 tax year to optimize your tax burden, you must file Form 2553 by March 16. Filing late generally means the election won't take effect until 2027.

Deposit Deadlines

For businesses adhering to the monthly deposit rule, payments for Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax for February are due. This also applies to non-payroll withholding.

March 31: Electronic Filing Deadlines

As a firm that integrates cloud tools and modern methodology, we almost exclusively recommend electronic filing. It is faster, more secure, and often provides later deadlines.

  • Information Returns: Electronic filing of Forms 1099 (excluding NEC), 1098, and W-2G is due.
  • ACA Forms: Electronic filing of Forms 1094-B/C and 1095-B/C is due.
  • Tip Reporting: Electronic filing of Form 8027 is due.

Important Notes on Timing

Weekends & Holidays: If a due date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, it is pushed to the next business day.

Disaster Area Extensions: If your business is located in a federally designated disaster area, you may have additional time. We monitor these designations closely for our Georgia clients. You can verify the latest updates here:

Does this calendar feel overwhelming? It doesn't have to be. At Get Balanced CPA, we help service-based entrepreneurs navigate these dates with confidence. Contact us today to ensure your compliance is handled with care and expertise.

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