Quarterly Tax Estimator

By NumbersLab Editorial·Updated for 2026 tax year·Editorial standards

Calculate how much you owe each quarter in estimated taxes. See due dates, safe harbor thresholds, and avoid IRS underpayment penalties.

Tax Year

Expected Annual Income

Filing Status

State

Withholding Already Paid (YTD)From W-2 or prior payments

Estimated Quarterly Payment

$6,701Moderate

$26,805 remaining over 4 quarters

Total Tax Liability

$26,805

22.3% effective rate

Withholding Credit

Already paid

Remaining Owed

$26,805

Penalty Threshold (90%)

$24,125

Must pay to avoid penalty

Quarterly Payment Schedule

Q1 (Jan–Mar) — Due April 15, 2026$6,701

Q2 (Apr–May) — Due June 15, 2026$6,701

Q3 (Jun–Aug) — Due September 15, 2026$6,701

Q4 (Sep–Dec) — Due January 15, 2027$6,701

Total Estimated Payments$26,805

+ Withholding$0

= Total Tax Coverage$26,805

Safe Harbor: Pay at least $24,125 (90% of liability) or $26,805 (100% of prior year) to avoid penalties.

How This Works

If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes when you file your return, you generally need to make quarterly estimated tax payments. This applies to freelancers, contractors, investors, and anyone with income that is not subject to withholding.

The IRS safe harbor rule lets you avoid underpayment penalties if you pay at least 90% of your current year tax liability, or 100% of your prior year tax liability (110% if your AGI exceeds $150,000). Meeting either threshold protects you from penalties.

Quarterly payments are due on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year. If the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

If you also have W-2 income with withholding, enter your total expected withholding to see how much additional estimated tax you need to pay each quarter. Your withholding counts as a credit against your total tax liability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to make quarterly estimated tax payments?+

Yes if you'll owe $1,000 or more at tax filing (after withholding and refundable credits). Quarterly payments are required for: self-employed individuals, freelancers, gig workers, landlords with rental income, investors with substantial capital gains or dividends, retirees with IRA distributions or pension income not withheld, and anyone whose W-2 withholding doesn't cover their total tax bill. Quarter due dates for 2026: April 15, June 15, September 15, January 15 of the following year. Miss a quarter or under-pay and the IRS charges underpayment penalties (5-8% annualized in recent years, based on the federal short-term rate).

How much should I pay in quarterly taxes?+

The IRS safe harbor: pay at least 100% of last year's total tax (110% if your AGI was over $150,000) divided by 4 each quarter. This avoids underpayment penalties regardless of how your current year shakes out. Alternative method: pay 90% of your current year's projected tax in equal quarterly installments. Most self-employed people use a 25-35% set-aside ratio: every freelance payment you receive, sweep 25-35% to a dedicated tax savings account immediately. At quarter-end, send what's needed from that account.

What happens if I miss a quarterly tax payment?+

The IRS calculates an underpayment penalty for each quarter you under-paid, accruing from the original due date until the date you eventually paid (or April 15 of the following year). The penalty rate is the federal short-term rate plus 3%, currently around 8% annualized. The penalty is small for short delays (missing the April 15 deadline by a month at 8% APR = 0.67% of the underpaid amount), but adds up if you skip a full quarter. You can make catch-up payments at any time — the IRS doesn't refuse early payments — to stop the penalty clock.

How do I calculate self-employment quarterly tax?+

Step 1: estimate your net self-employment income for the year (gross income minus business expenses). Step 2: multiply by 92.35% to get the SE tax base. Step 3: SE tax = 15.3% on that base (12.4% Social Security up to the wage base + 2.9% Medicare, no cap). Step 4: estimate your federal income tax on net SE income MINUS the deduction for half of SE tax MINUS QBI deduction (typically 20% for service-business income under thresholds) MINUS standard or itemized deductions. Step 5: divide total federal liability by 4 = quarterly payment. Add state quarterly payments separately.

Can I pay my quarterly taxes online?+

Yes. The IRS Direct Pay system (IRS.gov/payments) is free and lets you pay from a checking or savings account with no fee. EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) is another free option, used heavily by businesses. Both allow you to schedule quarterly payments in advance — set up four payments at the start of the year and they execute automatically. Credit/debit cards work too but charge processing fees of about 2% (so a $5,000 quarterly payment costs an extra $100). Most states have similar online portals.