--- title: Closing a Business Involves a Number of Tax Responsibilities. description: Machen McChesney breaks down the tax responsibilities of a business that is closing its doors. image: https://info.machen.cpa/hubfs/Going%20out%20of%20business%20-1473968839-1.jpeg --- [Family of Services](http://machenmcchesney.com/about-us/family-of-companies/)  |  [CPA & Business Advisory](http://machenmcchesney.com)  |  [Payroll, HR & Benefits](http://focuspaysolutions.com/)  |  [Wealth Management](http://machenmcchesney.com/services/financial-planning-and-wealth-mangement-services/) Auburn-Opelika (334) 887-7022 | Montgomery (334) 244-8900 [![mm-cobrand-fd-blues](https://info.machen.cpa/hs-fs/hubfs/mm-cobrand-fd-blues.png?width=279&height=100&name=mm-cobrand-fd-blues.png)](http://machenmcchesney.com) Search this site on Google Search Google Search this site on Google Search Google - [Client Portal](https://machenmcchesney.sharefile.com/Authentication/Login) - [1040 Electronic Organizer](https://www.my1040data.com/account/login/HT7902990) - 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If this is your situation, we can help you, including taking care of various tax responsibilities. To start with, a business must file a final federal income tax return and some other related forms for the year it closes its doors. The type of return that must be filed depends on the type of business you have. For example: - **Sole Proprietors** will need to file the usual Schedule C, “Profit or Loss from Business,” with their individual returns for the year they close their businesses. They may also need to report self-employment tax. - **Partnerships** must file Form 1065, “U.S. Return of Partnership Income,” for the year they close. They also must report capital gains and losses on Schedule D. They indicate that this is the final return and do the same on Schedule K-1, “Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.” - **All Corporations** need to file Form 966, “Corporate Dissolution or Liquidation,” if they adopt a resolution or plan to dissolve an entity or liquidate any of its stock. - **C Corporations** must file Form 1120, “U.S. Corporate Income Tax Return,” for the year they close. They report capital gains and losses on Schedule D and indicate this is the final return. - **S Corporations** need to file Form 1120-S, “U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation,” for the year of closing. They report capital gains and losses on Schedule D. The “final return” box must be checked on Schedule K-1. - **All Businesses** may need to file other tax forms to report sales of business property and asset acquisitions if they sell the business. **Tying up loose ends with workers** If you have employees, you must pay them the final wages and compensation owed, make final federal tax deposits, and report employment taxes. Failure to withhold or deposit employee income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes can result in full personal liability for what’s known as the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. If you’ve paid any contractors at least $600 during the calendar year in which you close your business, you must report those payments on Form 1099-NEC, “Nonemployee Compensation.” **You may face more obligations** If your business has a retirement plan for employees, you’ll generally need to terminate the plan and distribute benefits to participants. There are detailed notice, funding, timing, and filing requirements that must be met when terminating a plan. There are also complex requirements related to flexible spending accounts, Health Savings Accounts, and other programs for employees. We can assist you with many other complicated tax issues related to closing your business, including debt cancellation, use of net operating losses, freeing up any remaining passive activity losses, depreciation recapture, and possible bankruptcy issues. You also must cancel your Employer Identification Number (EIN) and close your IRS business account. In addition, you need to keep business records for a certain amount of time. If your business is unable to pay all the taxes it owes, we can explain the available payment options to you. Contact us to discuss these responsibilities and get answers to any questions. **For more information about the above article or other [business tax services](https://machenmcchesney.com/services/taxation/corporate-tax-planning-and-preparation/?__hstc=31761121.7a9873ccf7b11bacd61a69523a66c1cb.1709046344065.1722513747931.1722520753780.352&__hssc=31761121.4.1722520753780&__hsfp=79320913), contact Nick Wheeler, CPA at (334) 887-7022 or by leaving us a message below.**  Topics: [Business Tax](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-tax) Search this site on Google Search Google ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe to Blog ### Posts by Category - [Business Tax (356)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-tax) - [Business Advisory (238)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-advisory) - [Payroll, HR & Benefits (124)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/payroll-hr-benefits) - [Audit & Assurance (113)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/audit-assurance) - [Accounting & Outsourcing (81)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/accounting-outsourcing) - [Individual Tax (75)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/individual-tax) - [Tax Planning (33)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/tax-planning) - [Tax Updates (25)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/tax-updates) - [Retirement & Wealth Management Planning (18)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/retirement-wealth-management-planning) - [Taxation (15)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/taxation) - [Alerts (13)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/alerts) - [Business Valuation (11)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/business-valuation) - [News & Events (11)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/news-events) - [Tax News (11)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/tax-news) - [Individual Tax Planning (10)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/individual-tax-planning) - [Not For Profit (10)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/not-for-profit) - [Retirement Planning (9)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/retirement-planning) - [Estate Planning (8)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/estate-planning) - [Manufacturing Industry Insights (7)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/manufacturing-industry-insights) - [Individuals (1)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/individuals) - [Insider (1)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/insider) - [Professional Standard News (1)](https://info.machen.cpa/blog/topic/professional-standard-news) see all [![Returning\_Value](https://info.machen.cpa/hs-fs/file-2504250850-jpg/Machen-Blog-Image/Returning_Value.jpg)](http://machenmcchesney.com/about-us/mission-and-values/) - [![AICPA](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/logos/aicpa.jpg)](https://www.aicpa-cima.com/) - [![NACVA](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/logos/nacva.jpg)](http://www.nacva.com/) - ![2026 INSIDE Public Accounting Top 400](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2026-ipa-top-400.jpg) - ![2026 Best of Auburn-Opelika](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2026-best-of-auburn-opelika.jpg) - [![2025 Best of OA](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2025-best-of-oa.jpg)](https://oanow.com/exclusive/readerschoice/ballot-2025/) - ![2026 Best of OA Winner](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2026-best-of-oa-winner.jpg) - [![2025 Accounting Today Regional Leaders](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2025-accounting-today-regional-leaders.jpg)](https://www.accountingtoday.com/) - [![ClearlyRated Best of Accounting](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2024-best-of-accounting.jpg)](https://www.clearlyrated.com/accounting) - [![ClearlyRated Best of Accounting Employee](https://machenmcchesney.com/img/2024-best-of-accounting-employee.jpg)](https://www.clearlyrated.com/accounting) 1820 East University Drive, Auburn, AL 36830 | Tel: (334) 887-7022 | Fax: (334) 887-7221 1761 Taliaferro Trail, Montgomery, AL 36117 | Tel: (334) 244-8900 | Fax: (334) 364-0927 † This is not a CPA firm. \* Assurance, attest, and audit services provided by Frazier & Deeter, LLC. “Frazier & Deeter” is the brand name under which Frazier & Deeter, LLC\* and Frazier & Deeter Advisory, LLC† and its subsidiary entities provide professional services. 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