How do I e-file an extension for a partnership or S corporation return?
When must Form 7004 be filed?
Form 7004 must be filed by midnight local time on the normal due date of the return. In the case of a 1065 or 1120-S, this is by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the end of the tax year for the return. An accepted Form 7004 provides a 6-month extension of time to file the return.
- For a calendar year filer, the deadline to file Form 7004 is March 15. It extends the deadline to file the regular return by six months, to
September 15.
- Drake Software forwards extension requests to the IRS as soon as they are received. We recommend that you e-file several hours before the deadline to ensure a timely filing.
- If you timely transmit Form 7004 and receive an IRS
reject, you have 5 days to resend and still be considered "timely
filed." See KB 11825 for details.
- If the regular or extended due date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the deadline is extended to the next business day (see KB 13325).
- For more information, see Publication 4163.
Form 7004 for Form 1065:
- Open the return.
- Enter demographic information on screen 1, at least the name, address, city, state, zip and EIN.
- Open the 7004 screen:
- Select the Generate an Extension check box.
- Select 09 - Form 1065 from the drop list in the line 1a.
- Enter any other needed information.
- Open the EF Selections screen:
- Under Federal E-file Override, select the Federal 7004 only check box.
- Under State E-file Override, check Do NOT send any states if you do not wish to send a state return. If you are also e-filing a separate state extension, select the state EXT option from one of the drop lists.
- View the return and clear any ETD_MSG page messages. On the 1065EF page, confirm that the 7004 will be transmitted.
- e-File the extension form using the EF menu.
- An additional extension form can be e-filed by checking the box "Send additional extension form..." on the 7004 screen. Important: this should only be done if you need to file both an extension for 1065 (code 09) and an extension for 8804 (code 31).
Note: If you are electronically filing a state extension, the PIN screen may need to be completed to allow electronic filing of the state extension (where supported), even though the PIN screen is not required for the federal extension.
Form 7004 for Form 1120-S:
- Open the return.
- Enter demographic information on screen 1, at least the name, address, city, state, zip and EIN.
- On the 7004 screen (located on the Other Forms tab):
- select the option Generate an extension (Alternatively, select the PRNT screen option Prepare a Form 7004 based on screen 1 data).
- Enter an Amount paid with extension to have an amount carry to the return and the result letter.
- Tentative total tax and total payments and credits carry to Form 7004, if that data is available on the return. If that data does not carry, or if you want to override the amounts on lines 6 or 7 of Form 7004, use the overrides for those lines. Amounts must appear on those lines for a balance due to be present on the 7004, which is necessary if you intend to make a payment with the extension.
- Complete the PMT screen (if needed).
- Choose Yes for federal, enter the banking information and select the 7004 option. This will create a PAYMENT worksheet in View/Print mode.
- An extension of time to file DOES NOT extend the time to pay taxes due.
- Complete the PIN screen (if needed).
- Generally, you do not need to complete the PIN screen if there is no payment with the extension. If the PIN screen is present, or partially completed, it must be completely filled out. Note that all entries on the K1E screen must be present for the person who is marked as signs return.
- If e-filing a state extension, the PIN screen may need to be completed to allow state extension e-filing (where supported), even if the PIN screen is not required for the federal extension.
- Open the EF Selections scree:
- Under Federal E-file Override, select the Federal 7004 only check box.
- Under State E-file Override, check Do NOT send any states if you do not wish to send a state return. If you are also e-filing a separate state extension, select the state EXT option from one of the drop lists.
- View the return and clear any ETD_MSG page messages. View the 1120SEF page and confirm that the 7004 will be transmitted.
- e-File the extension form using the EF menu.
Ready to File the Regular Return
There is no need to delete the 7004 screen when you are ready to file the regular return. If you have filed a 7004 for a 1065 or 1120-S return and now want to send the live return, complete the following steps:
- Complete the return. Return to the 7004 screen and select the option Extension was previously filed; regular return now ready for filing.
- If a payment was made with the extension, enter the payment in the Amount paid with extension field on the 7004 screen.
- On the EF Selections screen select the regular return to e-file instead of Form 7004.
- Check the view mode for any red message pages regarding the return.
- Select the return for e-file and transmit.