Kentucky Form 741-V: paying tax on an e-filed estate or trust return

An estate or trust that e-files its 2025 Kentucky fiduciary income tax return and still owes tax can pay by check or money order with Form 741-V. The voucher carries the FEIN, the name of the estate or trust, a mailing address and the balance taken from lines 21 and 23 of Form 741. The return itself stays out of the envelope: the Department of Revenue (DOR) instructions say not to include a copy of the electronically filed return with the voucher and payment.

Play video

Which estates and trusts use Form 741-V

The 2025 instructions describe one situation for the voucher: tax owed on an electronically filed fiduciary income tax return. A paper Form 741 has its own payment block at the bottom of page 2, which asks for a check payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer with the FEIN and “KY Income Tax” plus the year 2025 written on it, mailed with the return to Frankfort, KY 40620-0016. The Form 741 instructions add that any tax due must be paid in full at the time of filing.

Whether a return is required at all depends on gross income. Form 741 is filed by every resident estate with gross income of $1,200 or more and every resident trust with $100 or more; nonresident estates and trusts apply the same amounts to gross income from Kentucky sources. DOR’s fiduciary tax page puts the rate at 4% and applies it to the part of the income that is not distributable to beneficiaries.

How to fill out Form 741-V, box by box

The voucher is the lower part of the single page, below the line marked “Detach here and mail voucher with your payment.” DOR’s PDF has fillable fields for every entry on it. The numbers in the image were added for this guide; the printed voucher has no box numbers.

Line 20(a) of Form 741 already takes in estimated tax payments, extension payments and any credit carried from the previous year’s return, so money sent earlier lowers the figure in box 4. Kentucky income tax withheld (20b) and nonresident withholding or the pass-through entity tax credit from Forms PTE-WH and PTET-CR (20c) count the same way.

Take a trust that e-files its 2025 return after April 15, 2026 and pays the balance that day. Under the Form 741 instructions, interest runs from the original due date until payment, and a late payment penalty may be assessed because line 21 was not paid by that date. Both amounts are entered on lines 22(b) and 22(c), pass through line 23 and end up in box 5.

When the payment is due and what late costs

The 2025 voucher says payments should be postmarked on or before April 15, 2026 to avoid penalties and interest. It also says DOR does not issue statements of liability before the April 15 payment deadline, so the amount comes from the fiduciary’s own return. For estates and trusts with a fiscal year, the Form 741 instructions set the filing date at the 15th day of the 4th month after the tax year closes; the voucher text mentions only April 15.

The penalty rules are in the 2025 Form 741 instructions:

• Late payment: 2% of the tax for each 30 days or fraction of 30 days that line 21 stays unpaid after the original due date, up to 20%, with a $10 minimum. No late payment penalty is assessed if the amount paid on time is 75% of the tax DOR determines to be due.
• Late filing: 2% of the total tax due for each 30 days or fraction that the return is late after the due date or extended due date, up to 20%, with a $10 minimum.
• Interest: charged at the “tax interest rate” from the original due date until the date of payment.
• Estimated tax: if more than $500 is owed, an underpayment penalty may apply. Form 2210-K calculates it or claims an exemption, and the box beside line 22(a) is checked when that form is enclosed.

DOR may reduce or waive penalties, but not interest, when reasonable cause is shown.

What goes in the envelope

• A check or money order payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer. The voucher instructions say not to send cash.
• The name, address, FEIN and “2025 Form 741” written on the check or money order.
• The voucher, cut at the dotted line and left loose: DOR prints “Do not attach check to voucher” on it.
• No copy of the e-filed return.