(a) Payment and return required—(1) In general. With respect to any taxable year for which a partnership or S corporation has a section 444 election in effect (an “applicable election year”), the partnership or S corporation shall file a return as provided in paragraphs (a) (2) and (3) of this section and make a payment, if required, as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.

(2) Return required—(i) In general. A return showing the required payment shall be made, even if the required payment for the applicable election year is zero. For an applicable election year beginning in 1987, the return shall be made on Form 720, “Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return.” For an applicable election year beginning after 1987, the return shall also be made on Form 720 unless another form is prescribed by the Commissioner.

(ii) Procedure if amount for applicable election year (and all proceeding years) is not greater than $500. If a partnership or S corporation is not required to make a payment under section 7519 for an applicable election year, the partnership or S corporation should type or legibly print “zero” on the appropriate line of the prescribed form.

(3) Time and place for filing return—(i) Applicable election years beginning in 1987. For an applicable election year beginning in 1987, the Form 720 must be filed with the Service Center indicated by the instructions for the Form 720. The date for filing such form is as follows—

(A) Taxpayers that would otherwise file Form 720 for the second quarter of 1988. Taxpayers that are required, without regard to this section, to file Form 720 for the second quarter of 1988 (e.g., taxpayers reporting liability for manufacturers excise tax) must file Form 720 by the normal due date of such form for the second quarter of 1988. Thus, such taxpayers must generally file Form 720 on or before July 31, 1988. However, if such taxpayers must also report tax imposed by section 4251 (relating to communications services tax), sections 4261 and 4271 (relating to air transportation tax), or section 4986 (relating to windfall profits tax) for the second quarter of 1988, they must file Form 720 on or before August 31, 1988.

(B) Other taxpayers. Taxpayers that are not described in paragraph (a)(3)(i)(A) of this section (i.e., taxpayers that but for this section would not be required to file Form 720 for the second quarter of 1988) must file Form 720 on or before July 31, 1988.

(ii) Applicable election years beginning after 1987—(A) Return made on Form 720. [Reserved]

(B) Return made on form other than Form 720. For an applicable election year beginning after 1987, the return showing the required payment is to be filed with the Service Center indicated by the instructions for the form prescribed for payment. The return must be filed on or before the date prescribed by the instructions to the form.

(iii) Special rule for back-up section 444 election. See § 1.444-3T(b)(4)(iii) for a special rule that may extend the due date for filing a return required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(4) Time and place for making required payment—(i) Applicable election years beginning in 1987. For an applicable election year beginning in 1987, the required payment is due and payable without assessment and notice on or before the date the taxpayer's Form 720 for the second quarter is due (as specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section). The required payment must be paid by check or money order, and such check or money order must indicate the partnership's or S corporation's taxpayer identification number and must include the statement: “IRS NO. 11 PAYMENT.” The check or money order must be sent, together with Form 720, to the Service Center indicated by the instructions for the Form 720.

(ii) Applicable election years beginning after 1987. For an applicable election year beginning after 1987, the required payment is due and payable without assessment or notice, on or before May 15 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the applicable election year begins.

(iii) Special rule for back-up section 444 election. See § 1.444-3T(b)(4)(iii) for a special rule that may extend the due date for making a required payment.

(5) Penalties for failure to pay. In the case of any failure by a partnership or S corporation to pay the required payment on or before the date prescribed in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, there shall be assessed on such partnership or S corporation a penalty of 10 percent of the underpayment. For purposes of this section, the term “underpayment” means the excess of the amount of the payment required under this section over the amount (if any) of such payment paid on or before the date prescribed in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.

(6) Refund of required payment—(i) In general. If a partnership or S corporation is entitled to make a claim for refund pursuant to § 1.7519-1T(c), such partnership or S corporation should file a claim for refund, as provided in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section. However, in no event shall a refund be made prior to April 15 of the second calendar year that follows the calendar year in which an applicable election year begins. For example, assume a partnership made a section 444 election to retain its taxable year for its taxable year beginning October 1, 1987, and as a result made a required payment for such year. Further assume that the partnership terminates its election for its taxable year beginning October 1, 1988. Based on these facts, the partnership will be entitled to a refund, but no earlier than April 15, 1989.

(ii) Procedures for claiming refund. [Reserved]

(iii) Interest on refund. No interest shall be allowed with respect to any refund of a required payment under § 1.7519-1T(C).

(b) Assessment and collection of payment. A required payment shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as if it were a tax imposed by subtitle C. Furthermore, no deduction shall be allowable to a partnership or S corporation (or their owners) with respect to the required payment.

(c) Termination due to willful failure. See § 1.444-1T(a)(5)(i)(C), which provides that willful failure to comply with the requirements of this section will result in the termination of the section 444 election.

(d) Negligence and fraud penalties made applicable. For purposes of section 6653, relating to additions to tax for negligence and fraud, any payment required by this section shall be treated as a tax.