Check our 2026 Tax Deadlines For C-Corp Startups or Click for your customized tax compliance calendar by startup hub
For Austin-based businesses, the critical tax deadlines in 2026 include the April 15th state and federal tax return deadlines (which can be extended until October 15th) and the various federal and state filings listed in the calendar below. Add the calendar to your ical by clicking to the right.
Prior year Travis County Property Taxes deadline — payment due by the last business day of January. In 2026, January 31 is a Saturday, so the deadline moves to Friday, January 30.
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941, and file annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) return on Form 940. Use our handy calculator to estimate your possible research and development tax credit.
Austin startups should send 1099s to contractors. Send W2s to employees and e-file 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation with the IRS. Or file Form 8809 for a 30-day extension to file W2s and 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation.
Delaware Annual Franchise Report filing deadline. Your Austin startup will pay a minimum of $400, which increases if you have significant funding.
For Austin startups, IRS ACA Compliance 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C filings are due (if paper-filing, due April 1 if eFiling). File Form 8809 for a 30-day extension.
Send 1095-B and 1095-C forms to employees.
IRS 30-day automatic extension: provide Form 1095-B and Form 1095C to employees.
File Travis Central Appraisal District Business Personal Property Rendition (may be extended to May 15) – this is special for Austin area companies.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return due. The Federal Form 1120 is the U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, which the IRS has companies use to report their income, losses, credits, etc., and to figure the income tax liability of the corporation. Can extend the deadline to Oct. 15. All Austin startups are required to file this Federal form by this deadline unless they file an extension.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 1st installment (first quarter 2026).
File the R&D Tax Credit Form 6765 with your tax return. Can extend to October 15. We strongly recommend working with a qualified CPA to prepare this form in conjunction with your Form 1120 if your company is going to be acquired by a major technology company, that company’s CFO will use a strong tax team to do due diligence on this.
Due date for Austin startup employees to make contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for 2025 (Employee Benefits).
Austin startups can claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Travis Central Appraisal District Business Personal Property Rendition last day to file property tax protests.
Texas Franchise Tax Forms 05-158, Public Information Report Form 05-102, Ownership Information Report Form 05-167, and Research & Development Activities Credits Schedule Form 05-178 due. (May be extended to January 31.)
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 40% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 2nd installment (second quarter 2026).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 20% of your estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 3rd installment (third quarter 2026).
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return final due date for Austin startups if extension was filed.
Claim your Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Texas Franchise Tax Forms 05-158, Public Information Report Form 05-102, Ownership Information Report Form 05-167, and Research & Development Activities Credits Schedule Form 05-178 final due date if extension was filed.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax, Pay 20% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2026).
Click The Links To Learn More About These Filings And 2026 Austin Startup Tax Deadlines
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2025).
Prior year Travis County Property Taxes deadline — payment due by the last business day of January. In 2026, January 31 is a Saturday, so the deadline moves to Friday, January 30.
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941, and file annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) return on Form 940. Use our handy calculator to estimate your possible research and development tax credit.
Austin startups should send 1099s to contractors. Send W2s to employees and e-file 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation with the IRS. Or file Form 8809 for a 30-day extension to file W2s and 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation.
Delaware Annual Franchise Report filing deadline. Your Austin startup will pay a minimum of $400, which increases if you have significant funding.
For Austin startups, IRS ACA Compliance 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C filings are due (if paper-filing, due April 1 if eFiling). File Form 8809 for a 30-day extension.
Send 1095-B and 1095-C forms to employees.
IRS 30-day automatic extension: provide Form 1095-B and Form 1095C to employees.
File Travis Central Appraisal District Business Personal Property Rendition (may be extended to May 15) – this is special for Austin area companies.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return due. The Federal Form 1120 is the U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, which the IRS has companies use to report their income, losses, credits, etc., and to figure the income tax liability of the corporation. Can extend the deadline to Oct. 15. All Austin startups are required to file this Federal form by this deadline unless they file an extension.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 1st installment (first quarter 2026).
File the R&D Tax Credit Form 6765 with your tax return. Can extend to October 15. We strongly recommend working with a qualified CPA to prepare this form in conjunction with your Form 1120 if your company is going to be acquired by a major technology company, that company’s CFO will use a strong tax team to do due diligence on this.
Due date for Austin startup employees to make contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for 2025 (Employee Benefits).
Austin startups can claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Travis Central Appraisal District Business Personal Property Rendition last day to file property tax protests.
Texas Franchise Tax Forms 05-158, Public Information Report Form 05-102, Ownership Information Report Form 05-167, and Research & Development Activities Credits Schedule Form 05-178 due. (May be extended to January 31.)
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 40% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 2nd installment (second quarter 2026).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 20% of your estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 3rd installment (third quarter 2026).
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return final due date for Austin startups if extension was filed.
Claim your Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Texas Franchise Tax Forms 05-158, Public Information Report Form 05-102, Ownership Information Report Form 05-167, and Research & Development Activities Credits Schedule Form 05-178 final due date if extension was filed.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax, Pay 20% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2026).
Note: The federal tax deadline in 2026 falls on April 15 and the extension deadline is October 15. Most states usually follow the same calendar for state income tax returns.
How Much Does a Startup Tax Return Cost? Try Kruze Consulting’s Tax Preparation Pricing Tool
If your Delaware C-Corp Austin funded startup needs tax help contact us today!
You can make an online corporate franchise tax payment for the state of Texas by visiting the Texas Comptroller website. On the website, you can select the “Web file” option and enter your company ID to make the payment. Click here to visit the Texas Comptroller site - check to make sure the year of the URL corresponds with year of franchise tax that you need to file/pay.
AUSTIN, STARTUPS AND TAXES
Austin continues to build on its status as a major startup capital, maintaining strong year-over-year growth and drawing significant attention from global investors, founders, and research institutions. In 2026, the city features a thriving community of well over 7,000 startups, with particular strength in tech, life sciences, clean energy, AI, and e-commerce sectors. Austin’s startup ecosystem is now valued at more than $89 billion, with nearly $4 billion in venture funding raised in 2025 alone, reflecting ongoing momentum even as early-stage funding conditions have tightened nationally.
The Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Startup Ecosystem Dashboard remains a critical resource, updating founders with the latest data, strategic contacts, and events to help navigate the city’s innovation landscape. Founders benefit from a steady flow of conferences, new resource packages such as those launched by the Central Texas Angel Network, and strong university and private sector partnerships driving tech transfer, research, and talent influx.
Key taxing authorities for Austin-based startups remain the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Travis County Tax Office, and City of Austin. Businesses must plan for the 2026 state and federal tax return deadlines on April 15th, with extensions available through October 15th, alongside ongoing federal and state compliance filings.
This ambitious, well-supported environment – marked by world-class networking, flexible funding strategies, and rapid population and GDP growth – makes Austin an ideal launchpad for new ventures in 2026.
For Austin based businesses, the critical tax deadlines in 2026 include the April 15th state and federal tax return deadlines (which can be extended until October 15th) and the various federal and state filings listed in the calendar above.
2025 startup tax deadlines are supplied for reference purposes only, and should not be used when making decisions in 2026 or beyond. Always consult your tax professional, and see our disclaimer below.
Click The Links To Learn More About These Filings And 2025 Austin Startup Tax Deadlines
Prior year Travis County Property Taxes deadline.
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941, and file annual Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) return on Form 940. Use our handy calculator to estimate your possible research and development tax credit.
Delaware Annual Franchise Report filing deadline. Your Austin startup will pay a minimum of $400, which increases if you have significant funding.
IRS 30-day automatic extension: provide Form 1095-B and Form 1095C to employees.
File Travis Central Appraisal District Business Personal Property Rendition (may be extended to May 15) – this is special for Austin area companies.
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return due. The Federal Form 1120 is the U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return, which the IRS has companies use to report their income, losses, credits, etc., and to figure the income tax liability of the corporation. Can extend the deadline to Oct. 15. All Austin startups are required to file this Federal form by this deadline unless they file an extension.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 1st installment (first quarter 2024).
File the R&D Tax Credit Form 6765 with your tax return. Can extend to October 15. We strongly recommend working with a qualified CPA to prepare this form in conjunction with your Form 1120 if you are a high-growth startup – if your company is going to be acquired by a major technology company, that company’s CFO will use a strong tax team to do due diligence on this.
Due date for Austin startup employees to make contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) for 2023 (Employee Benefits).
Austin startups can claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Travis Central Appraisal District Business Personal Property Rendition last day to file property tax protests.
Texas Franchise Tax Forms 05-158, Public Information Report Form 05-102, Ownership Information Report Form 05-167, and Research & Development Activities Credits Schedule Form 05-178 due. (May be extended to January 31.)
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 40% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 2nd installment (second quarter 2024).
Claim Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941 .
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax. Pay 20% of your estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 3rd installment (third quarter 2024).
C Corp Form 1120 Tax Return final due date for Austin startups if extension was filed.
Claim your Research & Development Tax Credits on Form 941.
Texas Franchise Tax Forms 05-158, Public Information Report Form 05-102, Ownership Information Report Form 05-167, and Research & Development Activities Credits Schedule Form 05-178 final due date if extension was filed.
Delaware Quarterly Estimated Franchise Tax, Pay 20% of estimated annual amount (if annual amount expected to exceed $5,000).
Federal Quarterly Estimated Tax 4th installment (fourth quarter 2024).
View tax compliance dates for Austin, Boston, New York City, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Seattle, Washington DC, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Mountain View, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and San Jose
How Much Does a Startup Tax Return Cost? Try Kruze Consulting's Tax Preparation Pricing Tool.
How much can your startup save in payroll taxes? Estimate your R&D tax credit using our free calculator.
Every startup is different and so are its tax compliance needs. This is only a guideline. Please consult your tax professional. IRS Circular 230 Disclaimer: To ensure compliance with IRS Circular 230, any U.S. federal tax advice provided in this communication is not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used by the recipient or any other taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the recipient or any other taxpayer. Copyright © Kruze Consulting
Check our 2026 Tax Deadlines For C-Corp Startups or Click for your customized tax compliance calendar by startup hub
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