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Internal Revenue Service · Tax year 2026

IRS tax forms for the 2027 filing season

For 2026 income, employers must give out W-2s and send them to the SSA by February 1, 2027, and 1099-NEC is due to contractors and the IRS the same day. Most people file Form 1040 by April 15, 2027, or by October 15, 2027 with a Form 4868 extension. Partnerships and S corporations file by March 15, 2027.

Each form page opens the official PDF from irs.gov in the editor, so you always fill the edition the IRS posts that day. Filling needs no account. PDFBetter is not affiliated with the IRS and doesn’t file returns for you.

Dates checked against irs.gov

First dates of the season

  1. Fourth 2026 estimated tax payment (individuals)
  2. W-2s to employees and to the SSA with W-3; 1099-NEC to recipients and the IRS; most 1099s and 1098s to recipients; Q4 Form 941 and Form 940
  3. 1099-B, 1099-S and 1099-MISC (boxes 8 or 10) to recipients
Full 2027 calendar

Deadlines

The 2027 filing-season calendar

Dates for tax year 2026, already moved past weekends and DC holidays as the IRS rule requires. Fiscal-year filers have different dates.

  1. Friday

    Fourth 2026 estimated tax payment (individuals)

    Rule: irs.gov

  2. Monday

    W-2s to employees and to the SSA with W-3; 1099-NEC to recipients and the IRS; most 1099s and 1098s to recipients; Q4 Form 941 and Form 940

    Rule: irs.gov

  3. Tuesday

    1099-B, 1099-S and 1099-MISC (boxes 8 or 10) to recipients

    Rule: irs.gov

  4. Monday

    Paper 1099s, 1098s and Form 1096 to the IRS (other than 1099-NEC)

    Rule: irs.gov

  5. Monday

    Partnership (1065) and S corporation (1120-S) returns and Schedules K-1, or Form 7004

    Rule: irs.gov

  6. Wednesday

    E-filed 1099s and 1098s to the IRS (other than 1099-NEC)

    Rule: irs.gov

  7. Thursday

    Individual returns (1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR with wages), C corporation returns (1120) and extension requests (4868, 7004)

    Rule: irs.gov

  8. Thursday

    First 2027 estimated tax payment (15th day of the 4th month, per the Form 1040-ES rules)

    Rule: irs.gov

  9. Tuesday

    Form 1040-NR if you had no U.S. wages subject to withholding

    Rule: irs.gov

  10. Wednesday

    Extended partnership and S corporation returns

    Rule: irs.gov

  11. Friday

    Extended individual and C corporation returns

    Rule: irs.gov

Quick answers

Which tax form do I need?

I have a job. Which forms do I need?
Your employer sends Form W-2 by February 1, 2027. You report it on Form 1040, due April 15, 2027. To change how much tax is withheld from your pay, give your employer a new Form W-4.
I freelance or drive for an app.
Clients send 1099-NEC and payment platforms send 1099-K. Report all business income on Schedule C, self-employment tax on Schedule SE, and pay as you go with Form 1040-ES; the last 2026 payment is due January 15, 2027.
I paid a contractor in 2026.
Get a Form W-9 first. For payments made after 2025, file 1099-NEC when you paid $2,000 or more; it's due to the contractor and the IRS by February 1, 2027. Copy A goes to the IRS electronically through IRIS or on the official red-ink form, never as a print of the irs.gov PDF.
I have employees.
Give each employee a 2026 Form W-2 and send Copy A with Form W-3 to the Social Security Administration by February 1, 2027. If a W-2 was wrong, correct it with Form W-2c.
I need more time to file.
File Form 4868 (or make an electronic payment marked as an extension) by April 15, 2027 to move your filing date to October 15, 2027. It doesn't extend the time to pay: estimate and pay what you owe by April 15.
I rent out property.
Report rents and rental expenses on Schedule E, and depreciation of the building and improvements on Form 4562.
I sold stocks or crypto.
Your broker reports sales on Form 1099-B. You list each sale on Form 8949 and total them on Schedule D.
I'm a student or paying tuition.
The school's Form 1098-T supports the education credits you claim on Form 8863. Form 1098-E shows student loan interest you may deduct on Schedule 1.
I'm retired.
Pensions, annuities and IRA distributions arrive on Form 1099-R. You can file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, the larger-print version for older filers.
I'm not a U.S. resident.
Nonresident aliens file Form 1040-NR: by April 15, 2027 if you had wages subject to U.S. withholding, otherwise by June 15, 2027. Give U.S. payers Form W-8BEN, not a W-9.
I run a partnership or S corporation.
Form 1065 and Form 1120-S, with a Schedule K-1 for each partner or shareholder, are due March 15, 2027. Form 7004 extends the filing date to September 15, 2027.
I owe tax and can't pay it all.
File on time anyway, then ask for a payment plan with Form 9465 or the IRS online payment agreement.

By situation

IRS forms by who you are

Employees

Your W-2 arrives by February 1. Most of your return is Form 1040; Form W-4 changes next year's withholding.

Freelancers and contractors

1099-NEC and 1099-K report what clients and platforms paid you. Schedule C and Schedule SE go with your 1040, and quarterly 1040-ES payments cover the tax.

Employers and payers

W-2s for employees, 1099s for contractors and other payees, and the quarterly and annual payroll returns.

Small businesses

Entity returns, Schedules K-1, extensions and the forms that set up or change how a business is taxed.

Landlords

Rental income and expenses go on Schedule E; depreciation on Form 4562.

Investors

Interest, dividends and sales arrive on 1099-INT, 1099-DIV and 1099-B, and flow through Schedule B, Form 8949 and Schedule D.

Students

Form 1098-T supports education credits on Form 8863; Form 1098-E reports student loan interest.

Families and homeowners

Child and dependent credits, care expenses, mortgage interest and itemized deductions.

Retirees

Pensions and IRA distributions arrive on 1099-R. Form 1040-SR is the larger-print version of the 1040 for older filers.

Nonresidents

Form 1040-NR for U.S.-source income, W-8BEN for payers, and Form W-7 for an ITIN.

All 62 IRS forms, A to Z

IRS tax forms: questions people ask

Are the 2026 tax forms out yet?

Some are. The 2026 Forms W-2, W-3, 1096, 1099-R, 1099-B, 1098-T and 1098-E are posted, and the continuous-use 1099s carry their current revisions. Form 1040, its schedules and most credit forms are still the 2025 editions on irs.gov; the 2026 versions usually appear in December and January. Each form page says which edition irs.gov serves today.

Why is the January 31 deadline February 1 this year?

January 31, 2027 is a Sunday. The IRS rule moves a due date that falls on a weekend or a legal holiday to the next business day, so W-2s, 1099-NEC and most recipient statements are due Monday, February 1, 2027.

Can I print Copy A of a W-2 or 1099 from irs.gov and mail it?

No. The IRS says the online Copy A is for information only and can't be scanned, and filing it can bring a penalty. File Copy A electronically (SSA Business Services Online for W-2s, IRIS for 1099s) or on official forms ordered from the IRS. Recipient copies can be printed from the PDF.

Can I sign a paper tax return electronically?

No. A paper Form 1040 needs your handwritten signature; the IRS doesn't accept typed or digital signatures on a paper return. E-filed returns are signed with a PIN instead.

Does PDFBetter file my return with the IRS?

No. PDFBetter opens the official PDF from irs.gov so you can fill, check, print or share it. Filing is up to you: e-file through IRS-approved software or the IRS's own systems, or mail the paper form.

Do I pay for the forms?

No. IRS forms are free, and filling them in PDFBetter needs no account. Downloading, printing or sending the completed form needs a free account.

How current are these dates?

Each date applies the IRS's own rule to the 2027 calendar and was checked against irs.gov on October 28, 2026. The IRS's 2027 tax calendar (Publication 509) usually appears in December; if it differs, the IRS wins.