
Since partners owning a majority interest (Elm and Fig) have a Sep-
tember 30 year-end, the partnership, generally, must also adopt a
September 30 year-end. N
Partnerships and S corporations may elect to adopt a fiscal tax year different from the
one prescribed by the rules above, if one of the following conditions is met:
1. A business purpose for the fiscal year can be demonstrated, or
2. The partnership or S corporation’s fiscal year does not result in a deferral period of
more than 3 months or more than the deferral period in existence before the change
to the new fiscal year, whichever is shorter, and the partnership or S corporation
agrees to make the annual ‘‘required tax payment.’’
Partnerships and S corporations generally do not pay taxes. The ‘‘required tax payment’’
is essentially a non-interest-earning deposit with the IRS. The amount of the deposit is
increased or decreased annually with additional payments or refunds. This adjusted deposit
prov ides the IRS with a cash flow approximately equal to the partners’ or S corporation
shareholders’ deferred taxes as a result of using a fiscal year different from the one pre-
scribed by law. The deposit is required to be made by May 15 of the following year.
The only business purpose the IRS will recognize for the adoption of a fiscal tax year
other than a calenda r year fo r individuals, partnerships, or S corporation s is the need to
conform to a natural business year, based on the cyclical nature of income or inventory lev-
els. Normally, only seasonal businesses have natural business years.
EXAMPLE Sue owns a ski resort that has a natural business cycle from November
to April each year. The IRS would probably allow Sue to change her
tax year to the fiscal year ended April 30 for the business purpose of
corresponding to the natural business cycle. N
The deferral period is the period from the end of the partnership’s or S corporation’s
fiscal year to the end of the calendar year. The estimated taxes are computed by multiply-
ing the estimated deferral period taxable income by the highest individual tax rate plus
1 percent, or 36 percent (35 percent maximum individual tax rate þ 1 percent) for 2010.
To estimate the deferral period taxable income, the taxpayer uses the average monthly
income for the immediately preceding fiscal tax year (the base year).
EXAMPLE Guava Associates is a partnership with a 3-month deferral period and
taxable income of $60,000 for its prior fiscal tax year ended September
30. Guava’s average monthly income is $5,000 ($60,000/12 months),
and the partnership’s estimated taxable income for the deferral period
would be $15,000 ($5,000 3 months). To determine Guava’s esti-
mated tax for the deferral period, the estimated taxable income would
be multiplied by the highest individual tax rate plus 1 percent. The esti-
mated tax for the deferral period would then be reduced by the
amount of the required tax payment made by Guava for the previous
year to arrive at Guava’s required tax payment for the current year.
The required tax payment is due on May 15 of the calendar year fol-
lowing the calendar year in which the partnership’s tax year ends. N
EXAMPLE Lilac, Inc., is an S corporation with an October 31 year-end. For the
fiscal year ended October 31, 2010, Lilac, Inc., had taxable income of
$240,000, and had made a required tax payment of $3,000 for the
previous year. For the fiscal year ending October 31, 2010, Lilac, Inc.,
Section 7.1
Accounting Periods 7-3
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