Do I need to pay?
You generally need to pay estimated tax if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file, after withholding and refundable credits. That’s most people with freelance, self-employment, rental or investment income that has no tax taken out.
The 2026 due dates
| Payment | Covers income earned | Due |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 1 to March 31 | April 15, 2026 |
| 2 | April 1 to May 31 | June 15, 2026 |
| 3 | June 1 to August 31 | September 15, 2026 |
| 4 | September 1 to December 31 | January 15, 2027 |
The periods aren’t equal quarters:
- Payment 1: due April 15, 2026
- Covers Jan to Mar (3 months)
- Payment 2: due June 15, 2026
- Covers Apr to May (2 months)
- Payment 3: due September 15, 2026
- Covers Jun to Aug (3 months)
- Payment 4: due January 15, 2027
- Covers Sep to Dec (4 months)
If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.
How much to pay
The simplest way is to work out the year’s tax and pay a quarter of it each time. For self-employed income, that’s federal income tax plus self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare, 15.3% on most of your profit).
| Freelancer, single | Tax for the year | Each payment |
|---|---|---|
| $60,000 profit, Texas | $12,037 | $3,009 (federal only) |
| $90,000 profit, California | $22,705 | $4,829 federal + $847 state |
That’s about 20% to 25% of everything you earn to set aside. The self-employment tax calculator works out your own figure and the payment for each date.
Avoiding the penalty: the safe harbor
You won’t owe an underpayment penalty if your withholding and estimated payments add up to at least the smaller of:
- 90% of this year’s tax, or
- 100% of last year’s tax (110% if last year’s AGI was over $150,000)
Paying based on last year’s tax is the easiest way to be safe when your income is rising: you pay the rest when you file in April. The penalty itself works like interest on each late or short payment, so a late payment costs less than you might fear, but it adds up.
Uneven income? If you earn most of it late in the year, the annualized income method (Form 2210, Schedule AI) can lower or remove the penalty for the early quarters.
How to pay
- IRS Direct Pay: free, from your bank account, no sign-up.
- Your IRS online account: shows the payments you’ve made.
- EFTPS: free, and lets you schedule payments ahead.
Choose “1040-ES estimated tax” and the tax year the payment is for.
Have a job as well?
If you also have a W-2 job, you can skip estimated payments by having more tax withheld from your paycheck instead: enter an extra amount in Step 4(c) of a new W-4. Withholding counts as paid evenly through the year, even if you increase it in December. See how to fill out a W-4.
State estimated taxes
Most states with an income tax have their own estimated payments, usually on the same dates. California is different: it asks for 30% in April, 40% in June, nothing in September and 30% in January. Our calculator splits the state payments evenly, so adjust for California.
See your own numbers
The self-employment tax calculator shows your federal and state payments for each due date, and how much of each payment to set aside.