2019 Form 940 Internal Revenue Service

Use a 940 Form template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What the 2019 Form 940 reports

The 2019 Form 940 is an employer’s annual federal unemployment tax return for reporting FUTA liability to the Internal Revenue Service. Employers reconcile taxable FUTA wages, credits for state unemployment contributions, deposits, and any balance due on the return. The form generally uses a $7,000 FUTA wage base per employee and a 6.0% federal rate before applicable credits, subject to the 2019 instructions and credit-reduction rules. A payroll or tax administrator can complete the PDF in signNow, route it for authorized approval, preserve the audit trail, and submit it separately through the required IRS process.

Complete Form 940 in signNow

Follow the document workflow carefully, then handle IRS submission separately from signing and record storage.

Upload form:
Upload the 2019 Form 940 PDF to signNow.
Review fields:
Let signNow detect fillable fields, then check every FUTA entry.
Assign signer:
Assign the authorized employer representative and send approval fields.
Finish and file:
Complete, export the audit trail, and submit through the required IRS channel.

Form 940 setting	Recommended configuration
Authentication method	Email verification with SMS OTP
Signature type	Electronic signature with completion certificate
Audit trail	Enabled with exportable completion history
Document retention	3 years from filing under IRC §6501(a)
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest

Access Form 940 across devices

Complete the 2019 Form 940 in signNow through Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge on Windows 10 or macOS. SignNow mobile apps support iOS and Android, allowing authorized users to review, complete, and sign the employer return from supported devices over TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 connections.

Browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
Operating systems Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android
Mobile apps SignNow iOS and Android apps

For payroll teams, use managed Windows or macOS devices for preparation and controlled mobile access for review. SignNow mobile apps can support document completion and signing, while the final Form 940 filing method remains separate from the eSignature workflow. Keep the signed PDF and exported audit trail in the organization’s approved archive.

Field detection

Upload the 2019 Form 940 PDF and let signNow detect fillable fields, reducing manual field placement before payroll or tax review begins.

Approval routing

Route the completed return to an authorized representative with assigned signature, date, and approval fields for a controlled review sequence.

Audit trail

Capture signer identity, timestamps, IP information, and document actions in an audit trail that accompanies the completed Form 940 record.

Reusable template

Use templates for recurring annual returns while preserving the 2019 tax year, employer information, and year-specific FUTA calculations in the source document.

Data protection

Apply TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest, with SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certification for platform controls.

Record export

Export the signed PDF and completion history, then place both records in the organization’s IRS retention archive after approval.

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Connect Form 940 workflows

Move completed Form 940 files and approvals through named signNow integrations, including payroll, ERP, cloud storage, and accounting environments.

Protect Form 940 records

Transport encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Storage encryption:

AES-256 at rest

Security certification:

SOC 2 Type II certified

Information security:

ISO 27001 certified

Signature compliance:

ESIGN and UETA compliant

Evidence records:

Audit trails with timestamps

Authenticate signer:

Verify signer identity through the configured signNow authentication method.

Record timestamps:

Capture the exact time each Form 940 action occurs.

Hash document:

Log document changes and signing actions in sequence.

Seal record:

Seal the completed record with tamper-evident completion evidence.

Create certificate:

Generate the certificate of completion with signer and event details.

Export history:

Export the audit trail with the final signed PDF.

Retain Form 940 records securely

Preserve the signed return, supporting payroll evidence, and audit history under the applicable IRS recordkeeping period.

Apply the IRS retention period

Keep the signed return, deposit records, employee wage calculations, and supporting worksheets together. Federal tax records generally require three years from filing under IRC §6501(a), six years when income is understated by 25% or more, and longer retention for fraud or an unfiled return.

Export the audit trail

Export the completed Form 940 audit trail immediately after signing, including signer identity, timestamps, IP information, and the completion certificate. Store the export with the final PDF so an IRS review can connect the submitted return to its approval history.

Archive records securely

Use a restricted archive for the 2019 Form 940 and related FUTA workpapers. Encrypt data at rest, limit access to payroll and tax administrators, and preserve readable copies that can be reproduced throughout the applicable IRC §6501(a) period.

Preserve amendment history

Record why any amended Form 940 was prepared, which quarter or worksheet changed, and who approved the revision. Keep the original and amended versions together rather than overwriting the first signed record, preserving a clear chronology for IRS inquiries.

Form 940 record retention schedule

Use the federal IRS limitation periods as a baseline, then apply any longer state or industry requirement governing the employer’s payroll records.

Three years from filing

Keep the filed 2019 Form 940 and supporting payroll records for at least three years from filing under IRC §6501(a).

Six years for understatement

Retain records six years when income was understated by 25% or more under IRC §6501(a).

Indefinite for fraud

Preserve records indefinitely when the return is fraudulent under IRC §6501(a).

Indefinite without return

Keep records indefinitely when no Form 940 return was filed, under IRC §6501(a).

State rules may extend

Check state retention rules because state requirements can exceed federal periods for payroll and unemployment records.

Form 940 compliance risks

IRS correction

Incorrect FUTA tax

Payment dispute

Missing deposit evidence

Filing exposure

Late annual return

Audit weakness

Unretained workpapers

Avoid Form 940 preparation errors

Using a later-year Form 940 template can place the wrong tax year, FUTA worksheet, or employer information into the annual return.
A missing state unemployment credit or deposit entry can distort the FUTA liability and leave the signed return inconsistent with payroll records.
Replacing the original signed PDF after correction removes the chronology needed to explain why a 2019 Form 940 was amended.
Treating signNow completion as IRS submission can leave an approved return unsigned by the required process or delivered through the wrong filing channel.

Manage Form 940 team access

A payroll administrator uploads the 2019 Form 940, checks FUTA wage calculations, and prepares a shared signNow template. An organization administrator controls membership and permissions, while delegated senders route the return to the authorized company representative without granting broader account access.
A tax manager can review completed returns, export audit trails, and maintain records for IRS inquiries. SignNow role-based controls, shared templates, and delegated sending separate preparation from approval, helping preserve accountability when several payroll entities use the same annual Form 940 process.

Features	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	Dropbox Sign
Starting annual price	$8/user/month	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Free trial	7 days, no credit card	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send	Business Premium includes it	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Audit trail	Business plan includes audit trails	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Annual invite allowance	100 signature invites per user	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified

Form 940 troubleshooting questions

Resolve Form 940 preparation, signing, retention, and signNow workflow questions without confusing eSignature with IRS filing.

SignNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures and audit trails, but it does not replace IRS filing authorization. Use signNow to complete and approve the PDF, then submit Form 940 through the IRS-approved filing or delivery method required for your business.

Form 940 contains employer identification and FUTA amounts, not a universal signer requirement. Assign the authorized company representative in signNow, capture intent and completion evidence, and retain the signed record under IRC §6501(a).

The Business plan includes audit trails and templates for recurring Form 940 workflows. Business Premium adds bulk send, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication; select the plan based on workflow volume and identity-control needs.

A 2019 return should remain identifiable as the 2019 tax-year Form 940, even when completed later. Name the document clearly, preserve the tax year and employer details, and avoid replacing the original with a later-year template.

SignNow provides TLS 1.2/1.3 encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, SOC 2 Type II certification, and ISO 27001 certification. These controls protect the workflow, while IRS retention and filing duties remain the employer’s responsibility.

If an authorized signer cannot complete the document, revoke or cancel the pending request before creating a replacement. Keep the completed audit trail or cancellation record, then resend the correct Form 940 version with signer authentication appropriate to the risk.

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