> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pluvel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Form 941
> Quarterly federal payroll tax return filed by Pluvel.
Every quarter, the IRS wants to know: how much did you pay employees, how much did you withhold for taxes, and did you deposit that money on time? That's Form 941 — the quarterly report that reconciles your payroll with your tax deposits.
Pluvel prepares and files your 941 automatically. You'll see a draft before we submit, but you shouldn't need to touch it.
## What Form 941 reports
| Section | What's Reported |
| ------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Part 1 | Total wages, tips, and other compensation |
| Part 2 | Federal income tax withheld |
| Part 3 | Social Security wages and tax |
| Part 4 | Medicare wages and tax |
| Part 5 | Adjustments and prior quarter corrections |
| Part 6 | Total tax liability and deposits made |
## Filing schedule
Form 941 is due quarterly:
| Quarter | Period | Due Date |
| ------- | ------------------ | ---------- |
| Q1 | January - March | April 30 |
| Q2 | April - June | July 31 |
| Q3 | July - September | October 31 |
| Q4 | October - December | January 31 |
If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
## How Pluvel handles 941
Each payroll run adds to your quarterly totals—wages, withholding, and FICA taxes.
About 5 days before the deadline, we generate your 941 with all figures.
Go to **Payroll → Tax Filings** to review before we submit. You'll see a draft 941.
We file with the IRS before the deadline and provide confirmation.
## Viewing your 941
Go to **Payroll → Tax Filings → 941** to see:
* **Draft 941** — For the current quarter (before filing)
* **Filed 941s** — Historical returns with confirmation numbers
* **Amended 941s** — If corrections were needed
### Key figures on the form
| Line | Description | Your Data |
| ------- | ------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| Line 2 | Wages, tips, other compensation | Total gross wages |
| Line 3 | Federal income tax withheld | Total withholding |
| Line 5a | Taxable Social Security wages | Usually equals Line 2 |
| Line 5c | Taxable Medicare wages | Usually equals Line 2 |
| Line 12 | Total taxes after adjustments | Sum of all taxes |
| Line 13 | Total deposits for quarter | Should match Line 12 |
If Line 12 and Line 13 match, you've made correct deposits. A difference means you owe or overpaid.
## Common 941 situations
If you discover an error after filing:
1. We prepare Form 941-X (amended return)
2. Explain the correction and reason
3. File with the IRS
4. Pay any additional tax or claim a refund
Common reasons for amendments:
* Retroactive pay adjustments
* Employee classification corrections
* Wrong withholding rates applied
If you didn't run payroll in a quarter:
1. We still file a 941 with zeros
2. This maintains your filing status
3. Alternatively, we can file final 941 if you're closing
Never skip filing—the IRS expects a return every quarter.
If your deposits don't cover your liability:
1. The difference appears on Line 14
2. We include payment with the return (debited from your funding account)
3. Late payments may incur penalties
This usually happens if a payroll was processed late in the quarter.
If a third party (insurance company) paid sick pay:
1. Report it on Schedule B if applicable
2. Coordinate with your provider on who reports which taxes
3. We can help you set this up correctly
## Schedule B
If you're a semi-weekly depositor, you must also file Schedule B with your 941:
* Shows tax liability for each day of the quarter
* We generate this automatically based on your payroll dates
* Attached to Form 941
## Penalties for late filing or payment
| Violation | Penalty |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Late filing (up to 5 days) | 2% of unpaid tax |
| 6-15 days late | 5% of unpaid tax |
| More than 15 days late | 10% of unpaid tax |
| 10+ days after first notice | 15% of unpaid tax |
| Late payment | Varies based on time and amount |
Penalties can add up quickly. If you're having cash flow issues, contact us before missing a deposit—we may be able to help you work with the IRS.
## Trust fund recovery penalty
A special risk: if payroll taxes go unpaid, the IRS can hold business owners personally liable for the "trust fund" portion (employee withholding). This applies even if the business closes.
Pluvel prevents this by:
* Collecting taxes with each payroll
* Making timely deposits
* Alerting you to any issues immediately
## Accessing filed returns
To download a filed 941:
1. Go to **Payroll → Tax Filings**
2. Find the quarter you need
3. Click **Download PDF**
The PDF is the exact form filed with the IRS, including Schedule B if applicable.
## What we need from you
For accurate 941 filing:
* **Accurate employee data** — Names, SSNs, addresses matching W-4s
* **Timely payroll submissions** — Run payroll before deadlines
* **Funding account balance** — Sufficient funds for taxes
* **Corrections reported** — Tell us about any errors discovered
Learn about your annual unemployment tax return.