2003 HTML Instructions for Form 2220,

This is archived information that pertains only to the 2003 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.

Table of Contents

Purpose of Form

Corporations (including S corporations), tax-exempt organizations subject to the unrelated business income tax (tax-exempt organizations), and private foundations use Form 2220 to determine:

Whether they are subject to the penalty for underpayment of estimated tax and, if so,
The amount of the underpayment penalty.

Who Must File

Generally, the corporation does not have to file this form with its income tax return because the IRS will figure the amount of any penalty and notify the corporation of any amount due. However, even if the corporation does not owe a penalty, complete and attach this form to the corporation's tax return if:

The adjusted seasonal installment method is used,
The annualized income installment method is used, or
The corporation is a large corporation (as defined in the instructions for Part I, line 3, on page 2) figuring its first required installment based on the prior year's tax.

Who Must Pay the Underpayment Penalty

Generally, a corporation is subject to the penalty if the tax shown on its 2003 return is $500 or more and it did not timely pay at least the smaller of:

The tax shown on its 2003 return or
The tax shown on its 2002 return (if it filed a 2002 return showing at least some amount of tax and the return was for a full 12 months). However, a large corporation may base only its first required installment on the prior year's tax.

Note:

In these instructions, “return” generally refers to the corporation's original return. However, an amended return is considered the original return if the amended return is filed by the due date (including extensions) of the original return.

The penalty is figured separately for each installment due date. Therefore, the corporation may owe a penalty for an earlier due date even if it paid enough tax later to make up the underpayment. This is true even if the corporation is due a refund when its return is filed. However, the corporation may be able to reduce or eliminate the penalty by using the annualized income installment method or the adjusted seasonal installment method. See the Part I instructions for details.

How To Use Form 2220

Check one or more boxes in Part I if the corporation uses the adjusted seasonal installment method, the annualized income installment method, or if the corporation is a large corporation.

If the corporation checked a box in Part I, attach Form 2220 to the income tax return. Be sure to check the box on line 33, page 1, of Form 1120; line 29 of Form 1120-A; or the comparable line of any other income tax return the corporation is required to file (e.g., Form 990-C, 1120-L, 1120S, etc.).
Complete Part II to determine the underpayment for any of the installment due dates.
If there is an underpayment on line 17, Part II (column (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e)), go to Part III to figure the penalty.
Complete Schedule A if the corporation uses the adjusted seasonal installment method and/or the annualized income installment method.

General Instructions