M4: Corporation Franchise Tax Return (including M4I, M4A, and M4T) (2025)
Minnesota · Minnesota DOR · Used for tax years 2025
Form M4 is Minnesota’s 2025 Corporation Franchise Tax Return. It reports a corporation’s Minnesota tax liability, credits, payments, and amount due or refund. The included M4I calculates income using federal taxable income and Minnesota adjustments.
What you'll need
Include a complete copy of your federal return, including schedules, as filed with the IRS.
Have these details ready:
- Corporation or designated filer name, FEIN, Minnesota Tax ID, mailing address, and federal business activity code.
- Tax year beginning and ending dates.
- Amount credited from your 2024 return, corporate estimated tax payments made for 2025, and your 2025 extension payment.
- Bank account type, routing number, and account number if you have a refund.
Attach supporting documents when they apply, including:
- Form TPD if reporting a Tax Position Disclosure.
- Enterprise Zone Credit Form and the credit certificate for Historic Structure Rehabilitation when claiming those credits.
- Schedule M15C for an additional charge for underpayment of estimated tax.
- Schedules for certain federal credit expenses, intercompany eliminations, nonapportionable income, minimum fee adjustments, and Minnesota nonunitary partnership income, as directed on the forms.
Some credit lines also ask for project or certificate numbers.
How to file
Use the calculation forms to carry amounts to Form M4:
- Calculate Minnesota apportionable income on M4I. Carry line 9 to M4T, line 1.
- Calculate the apportionment factor and minimum fee on M4A. Carry line 9 to M4T, line 2, and line 12 to M4T, line 16.
- Calculate Minnesota tax liability on M4T. Carry line 28 to M4, line 1.
- Complete M4's payment, credit, amount due, and refund lines. Complete the signature and contact fields.
Include your complete federal return and schedules. Mail to:
Minnesota Department of Revenue
Mail Station 1250
600 N. Robert St.
St. Paul, MN 55146-1250
The form lists electronic payment or check as payment options, but refers to instructions not provided here for payment details.
Common mistakes
- Using staples: Do not use staples on anything you submit.
- Not rounding amounts: The forms require amounts to be rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
- Omitting the federal return: Include a complete copy, including schedules, as filed with the IRS.
- Leaving refund banking fields blank: If you have a refund, you must enter banking information. Use an account not associated with any foreign banks.
- Overlooking federal tax changes: Report changes to federal income tax within 180 days of final determination. If there is a change in tax, report it on Form M4X.
Questions people ask
What are M4I, M4A, and M4T used for?
M4I calculates income, M4A calculates apportionment and the minimum fee, and M4T calculates tax. The total Minnesota tax liability from M4T, line 28, goes on M4, line 1.
Can I apply an overpayment to next year's estimated tax?
Yes. On the 2025 M4, line 19 lets you enter the amount of your line 18 overpayment to credit to your 2026 estimated tax. Subtract line 19 from line 18 to calculate the refund on line 20.
How is regular tax calculated on M4T?
Multiply taxable income on line 9 by 0.098 and enter the result on line 10. If the result is zero or less, leave line 10 blank.
What if this is my final C corporation return?
The form asks you to indicate whether the corporation has withdrawn, dissolved, merged, or made an S corporation election.