April 15 is not March 15. A clear breakdown of every deadline your US company needs to know — and what happens if you miss them.
The single most common mistake African founders make with their Delaware C-Corp is assuming the corporate tax deadline is March 15. It isn’t. C-Corps file on April 15 — that’s the S-Corp and partnership deadline you may have seen referenced elsewhere. Miss it without an extension, and you’re looking at late-filing penalties on top of whatever tax you owe.
Here’s every deadline your Delaware C-Corp needs to track, with no filler.
W-2s and 1099s due.
If you have US-based employees, W-2s must be issued to them and filed with the Social Security Administration by January 31. If you paid any US-based independent contractor more than $600 during the year, a 1099-NEC is due by the same date.
Most African-founded startups don’t have US employees early on, so this may not apply to you yet. But it’s worth knowing before you hire.
Delaware franchise tax due.
Delaware franchise tax is paid directly to the state of Delaware, separate from your federal return. The deadline is March 1, which comes well before your federal deadline.
Delaware offers two calculation methods — the Authorized Shares Method and the Assumed Par Value Capital Method. The default method often produces a wildly inflated bill. Most startups pay significantly less using the Assumed Par Value Capital Method. Your accountant should apply the correct method automatically.
The minimum franchise tax is $175 for most startups. The maximum has no cap under the default method, which is why the calculation method matters.
C-corp federal tax return (Form 1120) due.
This is your primary deadline. By April 15, you must either:
Note: an extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay. If you owe tax, payment is still due April 15. For most early-stage startups with no profit, this distinction doesn’t matter — but it’s worth understanding.
Form 5472 due.
If you have reportable transactions between your US entity and a foreign related party — which most African founders do — Form 5472 is due alongside your Form 1120. It’s not a separate deadline, but it’s a separate form that many founders forget.
Penalty for missing it: $25,000 per unfiled form.
Extended federal return due (if you filed Form 7004).
If you filed for an extension in April, your completed Form 1120 is due October 15. This is the hard deadline — there are no further extensions available.
If your C-corp expects to owe more than $500 in federal tax for the year, you’re required to make quarterly estimated payments:
Most pre-revenue startups don’t need to worry about this. Once you’re generating consistent profit, it becomes relevant.
Filing Form 7004 is straightforward and buys you six months. But founders who extend often forget the October 15 deadline — it feels far away in April and then arrives suddenly. If you’re on extension, put October 15 in your calendar the same day you file.
Our Enrolled Agents track every deadline for every client. You won’t receive a generic reminder — you’ll be told specifically what’s due, when, and what we need from you to file it on time. For bookkeeping clients, deadlines are managed entirely on your behalf.
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