New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Instructions for Forms CT-400 and CT-400-MN CT-400-I

(4/11)
Estimated Tax for Corporations
installment of the MTA surcharge is required if your franchise, excise, or
New for 2010 gross receipts tax exceeds $100,000. Form CT-186-M filers always use 25%.
This year the Tax Department introduces new Form CT-1, Supplement to
Corporation Tax Instructions. Changes for this year and general instructions Second, third, and fourth installments — To determine the estimated tax
related to your corporation tax return — previously found in individual amount due in these installments, subtract the amount of the first installment
return instructions — have been compiled in this single form. payment from the estimated tax due and divide the result by three.
See Form CT-1 for the following topics: If you file a request for extension to file your previous year’s tax return, the
mandatory first installment (MFI) entered on that form will be the MFI used to
• Changes for the current tax year (general and by Tax Law Article) compute your second, third, and fourth installments.
• Business information (how to enter and update) Corporate partners — Reduce the amount of each installment due by the
• Entry formats amount of estimated tax that was paid on your behalf by a partnership on
— Dates or before the installment due date.
— Negative amounts Use Form CT-400 (or CT-400-MN) to make your second installment/declaration
— Percentages of estimated tax due on the 15th day of the sixth month of the current tax
year. The third and fourth installments are due on the 15th day of the ninth
— Whole dollar amounts and twelfth months of the current tax year.
• Third-party designee
• Use of reproduced and computerized forms Penalties for underpayment of estimated tax
• Collection of debts from your refund or overpayment We will impose a penalty on you if you do not file a declaration of estimated
tax or do not timely pay the entire installment payment that is due. To avoid
• Fee for payments returned by banks this penalty, the estimated tax is the tax, less allowable credits, shown on
• Tax shelter penalties the return for the year for which the estimated tax payments were made
• Voluntary Disclosure and Compliance Program (or if no return was filed, the tax for that year), unless one of the exceptions
below applies. For complete details, see Form CT-222, Underpayment of
• Your rights under the Tax Law Estimated Tax by a Corporation.
• Need help?
• Privacy notification Exceptions to the underpayment penalty
You will not have to pay a penalty if you made all tax payments on time and
Who must file a declaration of estimated tax and they equal or exceed the amount that would have been required to be paid
by each installment date if the estimated tax were an amount determined
make quarterly installment payments under any of the exceptions listed below.
All general business corporations (including S corporations), banking,
insurance, utility, and transportation and transmission corporations whose Exceptions 3 and 4 do not apply to large corporations. A large corporation
franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax, for the current tax year, can reasonably is one that had, or whose predecessor had, allocated entire net income (ENI)
be expected to exceed $1,000, must file a declaration of estimated of at least $1 million for any of the three tax years preceding the tax
franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax and make installment payments. year involved. A large corporation, for a non-life insurance corporation
subject to tax under Tax Law, Article 33, section 1502-a, is one that had
Any corporation doing business in the Metropolitan Commuter direct premiums subject to the premiums tax under Tax Law, Article 33,
Transportation District (MCTD) that is required to make a declaration section 1502-a exceeding $3,750,000 for any of the three immediately
of estimated franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax must also make a preceding tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2003. However, health
declaration of estimated metropolitan transportation business tax (MTA maintenance organizations (HMOs) subject to Article 33 also meet the
surcharge) and make installment payments. definition of a large corporation by satisfying the $1 million ENI requirement.
Estimated tax is the amount estimated to be the franchise, excise, or gross Exception 1: This exception applies if you have recurring seasonal
receipts tax and MTA surcharge for the current tax year minus the amount income. For additional information about computing seasonal income, see
of estimated allowable tax credits for the current tax year. Article 27, section 1085(d)(4).
Form CT-186-E filers: See Installments of estimated tax in Form CT-186-E-I, Exception 2: This exception applies if the estimated tax you paid was
Instructions for Form CT-186-E, for specific information about completing equal to or more than 91% (or 100% for large corporations) of the amount
Form CT-400 or CT-400-MN. you would owe if your estimated tax were computed on annualized taxable
income for the months preceding an installment date.
When to file a declaration of estimated tax You may annualize income as follows:
If you determine that the estimated franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax
will exceed $1,000 in the current tax year, file a declaration of estimated a. For the first 3, 4, or 5 months of the tax year, in the case of the
franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax and MTA surcharge on or before installment required to be paid in the sixth month.
the 15th day of the sixth month of your tax year. If you determine, after that b. For the first 6, 7, or 8 months of the tax year, in the case of the
filing deadline, that you will have a tax liability of more than $1,000, see installment required to be paid in the ninth month.
20 NYCRR 7-2.3. c. For the first 9, 10, or 11 months of the tax year, in the case of
See the Return and payment due dates for Articles 9 (sections 184, 186, the installment required to be paid in the twelfth month.
186-a, and 186-e), 9-A, 32, and 33 taxpayers chart if you need to determine Note: The use of 4, 7, and 10 months or 5, 8, and 11 months requires
your declaration of estimated tax and installment payment due dates. an election to be filed by the due date of the declaration of estimated
tax. For more information, see Form CT-222.1, Election to Use Different
Amended declaration of estimated tax Annualization Periods for Corporate Estimated Tax.
If you determine that the estimated tax for the current year differs from To annualize, multiply taxable income for the period by 12 and divide the
your most recent declaration, an amendment to the declaration may be result by the number of months in the period (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.).
made. This should be done on Form CT-400 and only on the installment
due dates. For further information on declarations of estimated tax, see Exception 3: (not to be used by large corporations) This exception applies
20 NYCRR 7-2 and 7-3. if the amount you paid is equal to or more than the tax reported on your
prior year’s return. You must have filed a franchise, excise, or gross receipts
Payment of estimated tax tax return showing a tax liability for the preceding tax year, and that year
First installment — If the franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax on your must have consisted of 12 months.
previous year’s return or the properly estimated tax on your application for Exception 4: (not to be used by large corporations) This exception applies
extension of time for filing that return exceeds $1,000, but does not exceed if the amount you paid is equal to or more than the tax computed by using
$100,000, you must pay 25% (.25) of the tax with the return or extension. If the current year’s rate, but based on the facts shown on the prior year’s
the tax on your previous year’s return or the properly estimated tax on your return and the law that applies to the prior year.
application for extension of time for filing that return exceeds $100,000, you
must pay 40% (.40) of the tax with the return or extension. Form CT-186 To avoid underpayment penalties, you must make up a reduction in
filers always use 25%. Life insurance companies: If the franchise tax estimated taxes resulting from using annualized income or seasonal
on your previous year’s return or the properly estimated tax on your income by increasing the amount of the next installment determined under
application for extension of time to file exceeds $1,000, you must pay 40% any method, other than the annualized income or seasonal income method,
of the tax with the return or extension. by the amount of such reduction.
A 25% (40% for life insurance companies) first installment of the MTA
surcharge is also required if your franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax
is more than $1,000 and you do business in the MCTD. A 40% (.40) first
Page 2 of 2 CT-400-I (4/11)

Specific instructions Note: To avoid delays in processing your estimated tax, you must enter a
form number in the Return type box.
You can Web File Form CT-400, Estimated Tax for Corporations, at
www.tax.ny.gov. You’ll need to create an Online Services account or log Both versions
into your existing one, and select the corporation tax estimated payment Box 1 Enter the amount of your installment payment for your franchise,
option. For more information on our Web site, select the corporation tax excise, or gross receipts tax.
Web File option. Box 2 Enter the amount of your installment payment for your metropolitan
Benefits of Web Filing include: transportation business tax (MTA surcharge), if applicable.
• direct payment from your bank account or by ACH credit Box 3 Add the amounts in boxes 1 and 2. Make your check or money order
for this amount payable to: New York State Corporation Tax. Write
• instant confirmation your employer identification number on your check. Do not staple or
clip your check or money order. Detach all check stubs.
There are two versions of the estimated tax form. Complete the version that Box 4 Enter the amount of your estimated franchise, excise, or gross
was mailed to you or that you obtained according to the following instructions. receipts tax for the current tax year.
Box 5 Enter the amount of your estimated metropolitan transportation
Preprinted version — Form CT-400 business tax (MTA surcharge) for the current tax year.
In the Return type box, enter the form number (without using slashes
or dashes) of either your last New York State franchise, excise, or gross Where to file
receipts tax return or, if you will be changing return type, the state
franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax return form number you expect File and pay through Online Services at www.tax.ny.gov or mail your form
to file. In addition to your name, address, and employer identification and payment to:
number, an installment due date is printed on each of the Form CT-400s ­NYS ESTIMATED CORPORATION TAX
you receive. Use the form with the proper due date for the payment you are PO BOX 4136
making. Mail the completed form with your payment to the address listed BINGHAMTON NY 13902-4136
under Where to file and on Form CT-400. Private delivery services — If you choose, you may use a private
Manual version — Form CT-400-MN delivery service, instead of the U.S. Postal Service, to mail in your form
and tax payment. However, if, at a later date, you need to establish the
In the appropriate spaces provided on the form, enter your business date you filed or paid your tax, you cannot use the date recorded by a
information. You may obtain the file number and return type (form number) private delivery service unless you used a delivery service that has been
from your last New York State franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury or the Commissioner of
return, or enter the state franchise, excise, or gross receipts tax return form Taxation and Finance. (Currently designated delivery services are listed
number you expect to file, if different. Do not enter slashes or dashes when in Publication 55, Designated Private Delivery Services. See Need help?
entering the form number in the Return type box. Enter the month and year for information on obtaining forms and publications.) If you have used a
(in mm-yy format) that your tax year ends in the Tax year ending box. Use designated private delivery service and need to establish the date you
the Return and payment due dates for Articles 9 (sections 184, 186, 186-a, filed your form, contact that private delivery service for instructions on
and 186-e), 9-A, 32, and 33 taxpayers chart to determine your installment how to obtain written proof of the date your form was given to the delivery
due date and enter it in the box. service for delivery. If you use any private delivery service, whether it is a
designated service or not, send the forms covered by these instructions
to: JPMorgan Chase, NYS Estimated Corporation Tax, 33 Lewis Road,
Binghamton NY 13905‑1040.

Record of estimated tax payments

Installment Date Check A B C
payment number Amount Overpayment Total
number from last year column A + column B
1*
2
3 
4
Total . .....................................................................................................................................................................
* Paid with prior year tax return or extension

Return and payment due dates for Articles 9 (sections 184, 186, 186-a, and 186-e), 9-A, 32, and 33 taxpayers
If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the payment and/or return are due on the next business day.
If your year Your tax return and first Subsequent payments and installment payments are due on:
ends on: installment are due on: Second installment Third installment Fourth installment
January 31 April 15 July 15 October 15 January 15
February 28/29 May 15 August 15 November 15 February 15
March 31 June 15 September 15 December 15 March 15
April 30 July 15 October 15 January 15 April 15
May 31 August 15 November 15 February 15 May 15
June 30 September 15 December 15 March 15 June 15
July 31 October 15 January 15 April 15 July 15
August 31 November 15 February 15 May 15 August 15
September 30 December 15 March 15 June 15 September 15
October 31 January 15 April 15 July 15 October 15
November 30 February 15 May 15 August 15 November 15
December 31 March 15 June 15 September 15 December 15
Note: All Article 9 (sections 184, 186, 186-a, and 186-e) taxpayers file on a calendar-year basis and must file tax returns and declarations of estimated tax
based on the calendar year, regardless of their federal tax filing period.