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PCORI Fee 2026 filing is now open, and the July 31 deadline is closer than you think. If you sponsor a self-insured health plan or HRA, you are required to report the fee on Form 720 Second Quarter return under IRS Number 133. Plan years ending between October 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025 are due this cycle, with rates ranging from $3.47 to $3.84 per covered life. Missing the deadline means IRS penalties, accrued interest, and increased audit risk. File early through an IRS-authorized e-filing platform and use coupon code FET20 for a discount on your filing.

Learn what low liability filing for Form 720 means, who qualifies threshold affects excise tax deposits. This guide explains when businesses can skip semimonthly EFTPS deposits and pay their tax directly with the quarterly return, outlines eligibility scenarios, compares low liability and zero liability filing, and covers special rules for the PCORI fee. It also reviews filing deadlines, deposit penalties, refund options, and how low liability filers can submit Form 720 online quickly and securely through eFileExcise720.

Use coupon code FET20 at checkout on eFileExcise720 to get a discount on Form 720 and PCORI e-filing service fees for 2026. The code works for both single and bulk filings, including quarterly Form 720 returns and PCORI filings. It reduces only the service fee, not the actual IRS tax payment, which is paid separately. Simply enter the code during payment to instantly apply savings before submitting your return.

Filing an incorrect Form 720 does not have to be a costly mistake. Form 720-X is the IRS amendment form that lets businesses correct excise tax errors, adjust liabilities, and claim missed credits from prior quarters. This guide covers the complete Form 720-X instructions step by step, including deadlines, what can and cannot be amended, and common mistakes to avoid. E-file your amendment quickly and securely through eFileExcise720, an IRS-authorized platform built for fast, accurate excise tax corrections.

Filing taxes early in 2026 is more than just a good habit it's a smart business move. This guide breaks down the real benefits of early tax filing for businesses that manage federal excise tax obligations through IRS Form 720, Form 8849 refund claims, and PCORI fees. From getting refunds faster and avoiding late penalties to reducing errors and protecting your business from identity fraud, filing ahead of the deadline gives you a clear advantage. Whether you owe taxes or expect a refund, early filing puts you in control not the calendar

This blog explains whether fully insured plans pay PCORI fees in 2026. The answer is yes, but the insurance carrier handles the payment and Form 720 filing, not the employer. Employers only have a direct obligation when they also maintain an HRA. The guide covers the 2026 fee rate of $3.84 per covered life, filing deadlines, calculation methods, penalties, exempt plans, and 8 FAQs.

This guide details the financial implications of missing the July 31 PCORI filing deadline, explaining how the IRS applies failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties to Form 720. It provides a clear, five-step process for resolving late filings, including how to correct errors and request penalty relief, and offers actionable advice for avoiding future penalties through authorized e-filing.

This 2026 guide simplifies the process of filing the Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return (Form 720). It explains who needs to file, breaks down the steps for online submission, provides a calendar of 2026 due dates, and addresses common FAQs like PCORI fees and zero liability filings.

A complete guide to IRS Tax Form 8849 (Claim for Refund of Excise Taxes) covering what the form is and who it is designed for, a six-row eligibility table mapping filer type to applicable schedule (Schedules 1 through 8), five key financial benefits including direct IRS cash refunds and sustainable fuel credits, a six-row schedule reference table explaining what each schedule covers, the five filing requirements (valid EIN, $750 minimum threshold for Schedule 1, accurate tax records, correct schedule selection, and the 3-year filing window), the Form 720 vs Form 8849 distinction, a five-step online e-filing workflow through eFileExcise720 at $35.95 per claim, and eight FAQ answers covering refund timelines (20–45 days), multi-year filing, Form 4136 dual-claim prohibition, and registered ultimate vendor eligibility.

A complete comparison of filing taxes online vs paper for federal excise tax filers in 2026, covering what e-filing and paper filing are, an eight-factor side-by-side comparison table (speed, confirmation, error risk, processing time, security, cost, flexibility, and recommendation), six pros of e-filing with specific Form 720 and PCORI Fee context, three cons of e-filing, three pros of paper filing, five cons of paper filing, a five-factor key differences table for excise tax filers (hard deadlines, rate accuracy, covered lives, Form 8849 refunds, penalty exposure), the three narrow scenarios where paper filing still applies, the eFile Excise 720 platform capabilities, and eight FAQ answers covering Form 720, Form 8849, Form 720-X amendments, and security.

A practical guide to the seven most common PCORI Fee Filing Errors on IRS Form 720 in 2026, covering using an outdated form version, EIN mismatches, applying the wrong $3.47 or $3.84 rate for the wrong plan year, miscounting covered lives by excluding dependents, COBRA participants, and retirees, selecting the wrong plan year period during transitions, missing the July 31 deadline with no extensions available, and filing on paper instead of e-filing. Each error includes a specific "How to avoid it" fix, plus a penalty consequence section (5%/25% failure-to-file, 0.5% failure-to-pay), an eight-question FAQ, and a PCORI fee rates reference table.

A plain-language employer guide to the PCORI Fee Deadline 2026, covering what the PCORI fee is and why it exists under the ACA, a key dates reference table (Form 720 Part II IRS No. 133, second quarter, July 31, 2026), the updated $3.47 and $3.84 per-covered-life rates from IRS Notice 2025-61, who must pay by plan type (fully insured vs self-insured, level-funded, and HRA plans), the three IRS-approved covered lives counting methods, a five-step filing workflow with line 133(c) and 133(d) distinctions, consequences of missing the deadline, Form 8849 refund eligibility, and six FAQ answers.