Know when payroll taxes must be deposited, not just reported.
Deposit schedule questions test timing and responsibility. Payroll pros should know monthly vs semiweekly depositors, the lookback period, and the $100,000 next-day rule.
The big idea
Payroll deposits pay tax liabilities. Payroll returns report and reconcile them. A return due date is not automatically the deposit due date.
Deposit by the 15th
Monthly schedule depositors generally deposit taxes on payments made during a month by the 15th day of the following month.
Due date depends on payday
For Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday paydays, deposits are generally due the following Wednesday. For Saturday through Tuesday paydays, deposits are generally due the following Friday.
The schedule is based on prior liability
Employers determine their deposit schedule before the calendar year using total tax liability reported during the applicable lookback period.
The $100,000 next-day rule
If an employer accumulates $100,000 or more of taxes on any day during a deposit period, the tax generally must be deposited by the next business day, whether the employer is otherwise a monthly or semiweekly depositor.
Why this matters for FPC and CPP
Deposit rules turn tax knowledge into operational payroll responsibility.
FPC focus
Know that deposit timing differs from filing returns and that employers can be monthly or semiweekly depositors.
CPP focus
Be ready for scenarios involving lookback periods, large liabilities, Schedule B, and penalties for late deposits.
Related forms
Deposit schedules connect most often to Form 941 study, but FUTA deposits and Form 940 are also important.
Practice deposit timing in context.
PrepToPay helps you connect payroll tax returns, deposit rules, and real-world deadline thinking.