1120: U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return (2025)

Who files this form

Unless exempt under section 501, all domestic corporations must file an income tax return, even if they have no taxable income or are in bankruptcy. They generally use Form 1120 unless they are required to, or elect to, file a special return.

Other filing situations include:

• Entities electing corporate tax treatment: A domestic entity electing to be taxed as a corporation generally must file Form 1120. An LLC can use Form 1120 only if it has filed Form 8832 to elect this treatment.
• Farming corporations: Corporations engaged in farming use Form 1120, except subchapter T cooperatives.
• Qualified opportunity funds: A corporation seeking to self-certify as a qualified opportunity fund must file Form 1120 with Form 8996, even without income or expenses.
• Certain foreign-owned domestic disregarded entities: These entities must file a pro forma Form 1120 with Form 5472 attached, even though they are not required to file a U.S. income tax return.

Some organizations use other returns. For example, S corporations file Form 1120-S, and LLCs treated as partnerships file Form 1065.

When it's due

For the 2025 tax year, the instructions give these filing rules:

• General deadline: The 15th day of the 4th month after the tax year ends. This generally also applies to a new corporation’s short-period return. A dissolved corporation generally files by the 15th day of the 4th month after dissolution.
• June year-end exception: A corporation with a fiscal tax year ending June 30 files by the 15th day of the 3rd month after year-end. A short tax year ending anytime in June is treated as ending June 30.
• Weekends and legal holidays: If the filing deadline falls on one of these days, the corporation can file on the next business day.
• Extension request: Generally, file Form 7004 by the return’s regular due date.
• Payment: Generally, pay the tax in full by the filing deadline, without extensions. If that date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, payment is due on the next day that is none of those.
• Estimated tax installments: When required, installments are due by the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, 9th, and 12th months of the tax year, with the next regular business day rule for weekends and legal holidays.

Short-year reminder: A return for a short tax year beginning and ending in 2025 should not be filed before the earlier of its extended due date or January 15, 2026.

What you'll need

Have the corporation’s identifying information and records ready, including:

• Legal name, principal office address, EIN, incorporation date, and year-end total assets.
• Records supporting income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits.
• Estimated tax payments, prior-year overpayments applied to this year, and tax deposited with Form 7004.
• Beginning and ending balance sheets and book income information, if the applicable schedules are required.

Depending on the corporation’s activities, attachments may include:

• Form 1125-A for cost of goods sold.
• Schedule D (Form 1120) for capital gain net income and Form 4797 for the gain or loss reported from that form.
• Form 4562 for depreciation reported on line 20.
• Statements for other income and other deductions.
• Form 8832: Attach a copy for the year of an election to be taxed as a corporation.
• Form 851 and supporting statements for a consolidated return. Attach a separate Form 1122 for each subsidiary first included in the consolidated return.
• Form 8996 for qualified opportunity fund self-certification, or Form 8997 if the corporation held a qualified investment in a qualified opportunity fund during the year.

If a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy signs, include a copy of the court order or instructions authorizing the signature.

How to file

E-file

Corporations can generally e-file Form 1120 and its related forms, schedules, and attachments. A corporation that files 10 or more returns of any type during the calendar year must e-file Form 1120, subject to the stated waiver and exemption rules. Count income tax, employment tax, excise tax, and information returns.

A corporation can request a hardship waiver. A religious exemption is also available when the required technology conflicts with religious beliefs. For that exemption, write “Religious Exemption” at the top of page 1 and file at the applicable IRS address.

Mail

Choose the address based on the corporation’s principal business, office, or agency location and its year-end assets.

Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin:

If assets are less than $10 million and Schedule M-3 is not filed:

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

Kansas City, MO 64999-0012

If assets are $10 million or more, or Schedule M-3 is filed:

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service Center

Ogden, UT 84201-0012

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming:

For any asset amount:

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

Ogden, UT 84201-0012

A foreign country or U.S. territory:

For any asset amount:

Internal Revenue Service

P.O. Box 409101

Ogden, UT 84409

For an IRS-designated private delivery service, see IRS.gov/PDS and use the address information at IRS.gov/PDSstreetAddresses. Private delivery services cannot deliver to P.O. boxes.

Finish and sign

Complete every applicable entry. Attach schedules and forms after page 6 in the order listed under “Assembling the Return” in the instructions. Put supporting statements last, with the corporation’s name and EIN on each.

An authorized corporate officer must sign and date the return. If a receiver, trustee, or assignee files on the corporation’s behalf, that fiduciary signs instead.

For a balance due, see IRS.gov/Payments. A corporation can authorize an electronic funds withdrawal while e-filing.

Common mistakes

• Replacing required entries with attachments: Do not enter “See Attached” or “Available Upon Request” instead of completing the form’s entry spaces. Show totals on the printed forms.
• Using the registered agent’s address: Enter the corporation’s principal office or business address, not its state registered agent’s address.
• Treating a filing extension as extra time to pay: Tax is generally due by the regular filing deadline. Interest applies to late payments even when a filing extension is granted.
• Sending a private delivery service to a P.O. box: Use the U.S. Postal Service for an IRS P.O. box address.
• Filling out the paid preparer section unnecessarily: Leave it blank if a corporation employee prepares the return or the preparer does not charge the corporation.
• Attaching a penalty explanation to the return: The instructions say not to attach one when filing. If the IRS later sends a penalty notice, send the explanation then.
• Mixing rounding methods: Either use whole dollars for all amounts or cents for all amounts. When adding multiple amounts for one line, include cents in the calculation and round only the total.

Questions people ask

Does a corporation have to file if it has no taxable income?

Yes. Unless exempt under section 501, domestic corporations must file an income tax return whether or not they have taxable income. Form 1120 generally applies unless a special return is required or elected.

Can the corporation receive its refund by direct deposit?

Yes. Enter the refund amount on line 37b and complete the routing number, account type, and account number on lines 37c through 37e. The corporation can instead apply all or part of its overpayment to 2026 estimated tax on line 37a.

Does every corporation need to complete Schedules L, M-1, and M-2?

No. If both total receipts for the tax year and total assets at year-end are less than $250,000, Schedule K, question 13, says these schedules are not required. Instead, report the total cash distributions and book value of noncash property distributions made during the year.

How does the corporation correct a previously filed Form 1120?

Use Form 1120-X, Amended U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return.

How long should the corporation keep its records?

Usually, keep records supporting income, deductions, or credits for 3 years from the date the return is due or filed, whichever is later. Keep property basis records as long as needed to figure the basis of the original or replacement property. The corporation should also keep copies of all filed returns.

Official sources

• https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/i1120--2025.pdf
• https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1120--2025.pdf