March 1 deadline for farmers, fishers to avoid quarterly payments

Pamela Au/wingedwolf - Fotolia

Taxpayers with income from a farming or fishing business have until March 1 to take advantage of special rules to forgo quarterly estimated tax payments.

Such taxpayers may be able to avoid making estimated tax payments by filing their 2017 return and paying the entire tax due on or before March 1. This rule generally applies if farming or fishing income was at least two-thirds of their total gross income in either 2017 or the preceding tax year.

Calendar-year taxpayers who are farmers or fishers report income and expenses from farming on 1040 Schedule F and from fishing on Schedule C. Both filings also require Schedule SE if net earnings are $400 or more.

The IRS says such taxpayers may find it helpful to attach Form 2210-F, though it is not required.