Key takeaways
- The 2026 due dates are April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027, per the 2026 Form 1040-ES.
- You generally must pay if you expect to owe $1,000 or more after withholding and credits.
- Safe harbor: pay at least 90% of this year’s tax or 100% of last year’s (110% if last year’s AGI was over $150,000) to avoid the underpayment penalty.
- Every deductible expense you track lowers the profit your estimate is based on, so your quarterly payments shrink with it.
What are estimated taxes?
The US tax system is pay-as-you-go. Employees pay through withholding from every paycheck. When you work for yourself, nobody withholds anything, so the IRS expects you to send the money yourself, in installments, as you earn it. Those installments are estimated taxes.
Your estimate covers federal income tax plus self-employment tax, the Social Security and Medicare tax that sole proprietors pay on their profit. Most states with an income tax run a similar quarterly system, with their own forms and dates.
Track deductible expenses all year for your quarterly taxes with the Manage Receipt app.
Who must pay estimated taxes
You generally have to make estimated payments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal tax when you file, after subtracting withholding and refundable credits. That typically includes:
- Freelancers and independent contractors paid on a Form 1099 or through payment apps
- Sole proprietors and single-member LLC owners filing Schedule C
- Partners and S corporation shareholders with pass-through profit
- Employees with a profitable side business, if their paycheck withholding won’t cover the extra tax
- People with sizable rental, interest, dividend or capital gain income
If you also have a W-2 job, you can raise your withholding with a new Form W-4 instead of paying quarterly. Withholding counts as if it were paid evenly through the year, which can fix a shortfall late in the year.
Quarterly due dates for 2026
The four “quarters” aren’t equal. The second covers only two months and the fourth covers four.
| Payment | Income earned | Due date |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2026 | April 15, 2026 |
| 2nd | Apr 1 – May 31, 2026 | June 15, 2026 |
| 3rd | Jun 1 – Aug 31, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| 4th | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2026 | January 15, 2027 |
You can skip the January 15, 2027 payment if you file your 2026 return by February 1, 2027 and pay the full balance with it. For 2027, the first payment is due April 15, 2027 and the rest follow the same pattern. You can pay through IRS Direct Pay, EFTPS, your IRS Online Account or by check with a 1040-ES voucher.
Safe harbor rules
You don’t have to predict your tax to the dollar. The IRS won’t charge an underpayment penalty if your withholding and on-time estimated payments add up to at least the smaller of:
90% of the tax you’ll show on your 2026 return.
100% of the tax shown on your 2025 return.
Use 110% instead of 100% if your 2025 AGI was over $150,000 ($75,000 married filing separately).
You also avoid the penalty if you owe less than $1,000 after withholding and credits. Farmers and fishermen have a separate two-thirds rule. Full details are in IRS Publication 505.
How to calculate estimated taxes
- Project profitExpected business income minus expected deductible expenses.
- Add SE taxRoughly 15.3% of 92.35% of that profit, up to the Social Security wage base.
- Add income taxUse the 1040-ES worksheet or an estimated tax calculator.
- Compare to safe harborTake the smaller of 90% of this year or 100%/110% of last year.
- Divide by fourPay that amount by each due date.
Maria is a freelance photographer. Her total 2025 tax was $10,400 and her 2025 AGI was under $150,000. She expects her 2026 tax to be $12,000.
- 90% of 2026 tax: $12,000 × 90% = $10,800
- 100% of 2025 tax: $10,400
- Safe harbor amount (the smaller): $10,400
- Quarterly payment: $10,400 ÷ 4 = $2,600
If she pays $2,600 by each due date, she owes no penalty even though she’ll still owe about $1,600 when she files. That balance is due by the April filing deadline.
Want a quick number? Try the free estimated tax calculator.
How expenses lower your estimated taxes
Estimates are based on profit, not sales. Every deductible business expense you record lowers the profit, which lowers both income tax and self-employment tax. If Maria finds another $3,000 of software, gear and travel costs she’d forgotten, her self-employment tax alone drops by about $423.89 ($3,000 × 92.35% × 15.3%), before counting the income tax saved.
The catch is timing. If you only gather receipts in April, your mid-year estimates are built on guesses. Tracking expenses as they happen lets you check your real profit before each due date and adjust the next payment up or down.
Know your real profit before each due date
Manage Receipt captures expenses the day they happen, so before each quarterly deadline you can see what you’ve actually spent by category instead of guessing. The AI tax report groups deductible costs together, giving you a solid expense figure to plug into your estimate. Bill reminders can also nudge you about upcoming payment dates.
Explore AI Tax ReportsFrequently asked questions
When are quarterly taxes due?
For 2026, federal estimated tax payments are due April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day. You can skip the January payment if you file and pay in full by February 1, 2027.
What is the safe harbor rule?
You avoid the underpayment penalty if your withholding and timely estimated payments equal at least the smaller of 90% of this year’s tax or 100% of last year’s tax. If last year’s AGI was over $150,000, or $75,000 married filing separately, the prior-year figure rises to 110%.
What happens if I miss an estimated tax payment?
The IRS charges an underpayment penalty, which works like interest on the amount that was late, for each day it stays unpaid. Paying as soon as you notice limits the cost. A missed payment doesn’t stop you from making the next one on time.
Do I need to pay estimated taxes in my first year of freelancing?
Usually yes, if you expect to owe $1,000 or more. However, if you had no tax liability for the prior year, were a US citizen or resident all year and that year covered 12 months, you generally won’t owe an underpayment penalty for the current year.