Quarterly payroll tax returns report the wages you paid and taxes you withheld during each calendar quarter. If you have employees in California, you’ll file returns with both the IRS and the California Employment Development Department (EDD).

For federal taxes, you’ll file Form 941 with the IRS. This form reports the total wages paid, federal income tax withheld, and both employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Most businesses must file Form 941 electronically through the IRS EFTPS system or their payroll software.

California requires two forms filed with the EDD. The DE 9 summarizes total wages and taxes for the quarter. The DE 9C lists each employee’s individual wages. These cover unemployment insurance, employment training tax, state disability insurance, and the employee-paid personal income tax withholding.

Due dates are the last day of the month following the quarter end. For Q1 (January through March), file by April 30. For Q2, file by July 31. For Q3, file by October 31. For Q4, file by January 31 of the following year. If you’re unsure whether you’re filing everything required, a small business accountant in the San Gabriel Valley can review your payroll setup and make sure you’re meeting all obligations.

Filing requires accurate records of every paycheck you issued during the quarter. You’ll need gross wages, tax withholdings, hours worked for non-exempt employees, and any pre-tax deductions. If your records are incomplete or your numbers don’t reconcile, you’ll have problems filling out the forms accurately.

Late filings trigger penalties on both the federal and state side. The IRS charges a failure-to-file penalty plus interest on unpaid taxes. California’s EDD charges similar penalties and can assess additional fees for late payment. Penalties add up quickly because they’re calculated as a percentage of the taxes owed.

Most payroll software handles these filings automatically. QuickBooks Payroll, Gusto, and similar platforms calculate the taxes each pay period and file the returns on your behalf. If you’re doing payroll manually or using a basic system that doesn’t file for you, keeping track of deadlines and forms becomes your responsibility.

For business owners who don’t want to manage this themselves, full-service payroll handles everything from calculating each paycheck to filing quarterly and annual returns. This removes the burden of tracking deadlines and ensures your filings are accurate and on time.